About this topic
Bones help us move. They also support us and protect our internal organs. A fracture is a break in a bone. Breaks are often caused by a fall or hard blow. They may be caused by a car crash or other trauma. Some diseases can cause bones to break. Cancer and osteoporosis are two diseases that often cause problems with bones. ‚
Open fracture reduction is a used to put bones back in the right place by making a cut through the skin during surgery. ‚
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What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Rest. Avoid putting any pressure on your injured bone.
- Prop your injured area on pillows to help with swelling. It is best if propped above your heart level.
- Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
- If you do not have a cast or splint, your injured part may be wrapped in an elastic bandage for compression. Wrap it tightly enough to support, but not too tight. This will help with swelling and give support to the injured bone.
- Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
- When you should change your bandages
- When you may take a bath or shower
- If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
- When you may go back to your normal activities like work or driving
- If you need to avoid putting weight on the fractured area. Your doctor may give you a walking aid like a cane, crutches, or walker if the break is in your leg.
- Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
- Ask your doctor how to take care of your cast, brace, or splint.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.
- An x-ray may be taken to make sure that your bone is fully healed.
- Your doctor will remove your cast, brace, or splint.
- You may need to see a physical therapist (PT). The PT will teach you exercises to help you get back your strength and motion.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Prevent infection
- Prevent blood clots
Will physical activity be limited?
- You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
- You may not be allowed to put some or all of your weight on your injured body part.
- Do not return to sports until your fracture is fully healed.
What problems could happen?
- Infection
- Swelling
- Nerve damage
- Blood clots
- Scarring
- Change in normal movement
- Bone may not heal properly
- Weakness
- Ongoing pain
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
- Cast is cutting into arm or leg
- Toes or fingers look blue or pale, are cold, or become swollen
- Loss of feeling in the arm or leg
- You have any injury or fall on the broken arm or leg
- Pain is not better after taking the pain drugs, or the pain suddenly gets worse
- You are not feeling better in 2 or 3 days or you are feeling worse
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my fracture.
- I can tell you how to care for my injured area and cut site.
- I can tell you what I will do if my toes or fingers look blue, pale, or are cold or I have swelling and less feeling in them.
Where can I learn more?
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00139 ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/aches/b_bone.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚