ORTHOPEDIC CARE

Bone Fractures

Accidents happen. We can help you fix the damage.

ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMA & FRACTURE CARE

Immediate Care When It Matters Most

Our orthopedic trauma and fracture care doctors focus on treating patients who have been involved in an accident or suffered another kind of traumatic injury, like a fall or a collision. These injuries typically involve fractures or broken bones, which require immediate evaluation and treatment to avoid further injury.

A bone fracture is the medical definition for a broken bone, usually caused by traumas like falls, car accidents, or sports injuries. Some medical conditions and repetitive forces (like running) can also increase your risk. Some people only need a splint, cast, brace, or sling; others need surgery. Recovery time depends on which bone is fractured, where, and what caused it.

Symptoms of a Traumatic Injury

Common symptoms patients with traumatic injuries experience:

Bruising and tenderness around the affected area
Swelling and redness in the affected area
Pain that progressively gets worse
Severe pain when moving the affected joint
Severe pain when standing or walking
Fracture or sprain? You can’t sprain a bone. A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament, and both can happen in the same injury, especially at a joint like the knee or elbow.

How Are Bone Fractures Treated?

Treatment depends on which type of fracture you have, what caused it, and how damaged your bones are.

Immobilization

If your fracture is mild and non-displaced, you might only need a splint (usually three to five weeks) or a cast (typically six to eight weeks), with follow-up X-rays to make sure your bones are healing correctly.

Closed Reduction

More severe breaks require a closed reduction to realign your bones without surgery. You’ll receive a local anesthetic, sedatives, or general anesthesia so you don’t feel pain, and afterward you’ll be placed in a splint or cast.

Internal Fixation

Your surgeon sets your bones in their correct position and secures them with metal so they can heal: rods through the center of the bone, plates and screws, or pins and wires for pieces too small for other fasteners. Some people keep these pieces forever; others need follow-up surgery to remove them.

External Fixation

Screws placed in the bone on either side of the fracture connect to a brace or bracket outside your body. This usually stabilizes the fracture temporarily, giving it time to begin healing before an internal fixation.

Arthroplasty & Bone Grafting

If you fracture a joint like your shoulder, elbow, or knee, you might need an arthroplasty (joint replacement) with a metal, ceramic, or heavy-duty plastic prosthesis. If your fracture is severely displaced or healing poorly, bone grafting adds bone tissue, from elsewhere in your body (usually the top of the hip bone), an external donor, or an artificial piece, followed by internal fixation while your bone regrows. After surgery, your bone is immobilized with a splint, cast, brace, or sling.

Complications of Fracture Treatment

Fracture surgery complications can include:

  • Acute compartment syndrome (ACS): pressure build-up in the muscles can stop blood from reaching tissue, causing permanent muscle and nerve damage
  • Malunion: broken bones healing out of alignment
  • Nonunion: bones not growing back together fully or at all
  • Bone infection (osteomyelitis): an open fracture, where bone breaks through skin, raises the risk of bacterial infection
  • Other internal damage: to surrounding muscles, nerves, blood vessels, tendons, and ligaments

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