Broken bones and ways we can treat them.
Bone is a great material to work with as it sets more rigidly whilst it heals, and in children can change shape and straighten itself as the bone grows.
This means that a large proportion of fractures we can manage without surgery, and all we need to do is to hold it in a good enough position so that it won’t cause you problems after its healed. Most of the time this can be done with plasters or splints, and occasionally custom made braces and slings. In the small proportion of cases where either the fracture cannot be held in position, or its too out of position to be left, then we have the option of surgery where we move the bone into the correct position and then hold it there whilst the bone heals. This can be with screws, plates, rods in the bone canal, or sometimes cages outside the bone.
We do our best to get the bone to heal by not disrupting too much of the blood supply, so using the smallest incisions possible and adjusting fixation types for different fracture patterns is important to give the bone the best chance of healing. Too rigid and it won’t heal, too loose and it won’t heal either – every bone is different and the fixation needed varies.
Our aim is to get you over your injury as soon as possible so you can get on and do the things you love.
Tendon and ligament injuries
When we are younger, we are more prone to damaging these structures as the bone is more malleable, and occasionally the ligament pulls off with a section of bone that it’s attached to.
Some of these injuries need more scans like an ultrasound or MRI to confirm the diagnosis and appropriate management plan. If everything is sitting in the right position we just need to allow it to heal for a period of time, which may require a cast or a splint. For certain ligaments and tendons, surgery is advised to ensure you retain an optimal functional outcome.
When should I go to ED rather than the fracture clinic?
We can see most limb fractures, ligament injuries, and simple wounds. Please see ED if any of the below apply:
- A significant injury with multiple injuries, chest injuries, loss of consciousness
- Neck or spine pain
- Significant bleeding
- The bone is protruding from the skin
- The limb has significant deformity
- Any acute medical issues such as shortness of breath, or chest pain
