Fracture Surgery

Broken bones can happen in numerous ways. A slip and fall, an auto accident, or sports injuries are some of the top causes. Any time an outside force is applied with great impact, a broken bone may occur. Depending on the severity of the break, fracture surgery may be needed to help in the healing process.

Different Types of Fractures

Each type of fracture is different and unique. An expert orthopedic doctor will be able to determine if fracture surgery will be needed. Each individual patient will have specific needs in helping the bones to heal properly.

• Stable or straight fracture barely causes the bone to be out of alignment.
• An open, compound fracture has created a wound around the injured area. Depending on the impact, the bone may or may not be noticeable through the wounded area.
• Transverse fracture creates a horizontal break line.
• Angle pattern is formed when the impacts creates an oblique fracture.
• Severe breaks causing the bone to shatter into three or more pieces is known as a comminuted fracture. Fracture surgery is necessary in repairing this type of injury.

Why Fracture Surgery?

In order to return range of motion and repair the broken bones, fracture surgery may be the best option to ensure proper healing. In some cases, the pain and swelling surrounding the fracture may be overwhelming. Repairing the damage will start the process to ease the painful symptoms and promote faster healing.

How is Fracture Surgery Done?

Depending on the degree of injury, fracture surgery may take a few hours to repair and reset the bones. In some cases, blood vessels or nerves may need to be repaired at the same time. In this situation, the orthopedic surgeon may take longer to proper restore the damaged area.

When the injured area is opened by an incision, the orthopedic surgeon will begin setting the bone back into place. During this time, the surgeon will be able to gain more insight on the degree of injury and the amount of recovery time needed.

The surgeon may use screws, metal plates, pins, rods and other substitute materials to fix the broken bones. The fracture surgery will secure the bone back into the proper position by placing the extra support materials above and below the broken bone site. The resetting aids may be used temporary until the healing process is complete or the surgeon may leave the materials in place permanently.

Recovery

Fracture surgery will need extra recovery time. A patient will want to follow the orthopedic specialist care directions. Depending on the degree of injury, the recovery process may take up to several months to heal properly. Even after support aids, braces or a cast is removed, the amount of movement may be limited until the healing process is complete.

Finding the best care for fracture surgery will help in the overall recovery and healing process. An expert orthopedic surgeon will be able to guide each individual patient during each step. In the Huntington Beach area, Dr. Howard Marans will be able to give an accurate diagnosis of the injury to ensure an optimal outcome to restore a patient back to a normal, active lifestyle. Please click below to schedule your consultation or call us at 714.979.8981