Precautions After Bone Fracture Surgery

What is Bone Fracture Surgery?

When a bone breaks, it is important to make sure it heals correctly in its original place. There are different ways of treating a fracture that depend on factors like extent of damage and the location of the fracture.

Sometimes, simply putting a plaster on the bone is enough, but in more serious cases, a surgery is needed. In this procedure, metal screws, pins, rods, or plates are used to fix the fracture.

How to Get Ready for Bone Fracture Surgery?

Before the surgery, you will need to tell your doctor about your medical history, any existing health issues, or any previous surgeries. Make sure that you openly discuss everything with your doctor like medicines and supplements you are taking. Medicines you are allergic to etc.

Your doctor will also use imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans to see exactly where the bone is broken. Your surgeon may ask you to avoid eating certain types of foods before the surgery. If you live alone you should arrange someone to take you to the hospital or surgery center and bring you back home after the procedure.

Risks Associated with Bone Fracture Surgery:

This surgical procedure has very few complications such as:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots
• Infection
• An allergic reaction to anesthesia

You can lower your risk of these complications by sharing all your medical information and following your doctor’s instructions carefully.

Precautions After the Surgery:

During the recovery period after ORIF surgery on the leg, you will not be able to walk. Crutches or a wheelchair can be used if needed. The bone and incision will heal faster if you avoid putting weight on the fractured area. The time of healing will depend on the severity of the fracture, and how it was cured.

How Bone Fracture Treatment is Done:

Surgery for a bone fracture can take a few hours. You might be put to sleep with general anesthesia, or only the broken limb might be numbed with local anesthesia.

The surgeon might make a cut over the broken bone if they need to use a plate and screws. In order to stabilize the fracture, they may also make an incision at the end of a long bone and insert a rod there.

The surgeon will use rods, metal screws, pins, or plates to hold the shattered bone together once it has been properly placed. These might be temporary or permanent.

If your bone shattered into pieces during the injury, your doctor might use a bone graft. This procedure involves restoring the missing bone by taking bone from another area of your body or a donor.

Damaged blood vessels will also be repaired during the treatment. After the treatment, the surgeon will close the incision with stitches or staples and put a dressing on it. You will probably have a cast on the injured limb after the surgery.

After Bone Fracture Treatment

Your doctor will tell you how long it will take for your fracture to heal. Normally, it is about six to eight weeks, but it can vary depending on the type and location of the fracture.

Right after the surgery, you will be in a recovery room where the hospital staff will keep an eye on your vital signs like blood pressure, breathing, heart rate, and temperature.

Depending on the extent of your injury and surgery, you might need to stay in the hospital overnight or longer, depending on how you are doing.

Feeling pain and swelling after the surgery is very common. Using ice, elevating the injured limb, and resting can help reduce the swelling. Your doctor will also give you painkillers to make you more comfortable.

You will get instructions from your doctor on how to care for your staples or stitches. In general, you should keep the surgery site dry and clean. Doctors often apply a unique bandage, which they will take off at a later appointment. At the incision site, you may feel some numbness,

Sometimes, a plate or screw can be felt by touching if there is not much muscle or soft tissue covering it, like on the outside of the ankle or on the top of the hand. If they cause discomfort or irritation, your healthcare provider might suggest removing them once the fracture has healed.

To help with muscular strengthening and stretching surrounding the broken bone, your doctor may advise physiotherapy. This will help in reducing the chance of further injury.

Conclusion:

Over time, your body will start producing new blood cells that will grow back together and heal the bone.

I have informed you all about the fracture and how you can take care of your fracture post-surgery. Even when the fracture has been repaired, keep in mind that it still might occur again.

To prevent re-injury, be cautious and consider: Eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D will strengthen your bones. Use protective gear like pads, braces, or helmets to avoid future fractures.

Some people may feel joint pains. ORIF is not performed to cure joint-related problems caused by osteoarthritis. A hip replacement surgery or knee replacement surgery is performed in such cases where the affected area of joints is replaced with a prosthesis. Hip replacement surgery in Delhiis common in many states of India and the cost differs from city to city.

Although it is commonly performed all over India, orthopedic surgery in Delhi is affordable. Well, the cost depends on many factors like the age of the patient, previous medical history, damage to the joint, type of prosthesis, fees of the doctor, reputation of the hospital, etc.

Fracture is caused primarily by an accident, but there are many bone-related diseases that exist, like osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, bone cancer, rickets, etc. Bone is important for us to stand, bend, walk, or do almost everything; hence, it is very important to consult with a good orthopedic surgeon for the right treatment on time.