Bones Repairing and Bone Fracture Surgery in Houston, TX
Broken bones are among the most common injuries today across all age ranges and professions. Over 6 million fractures are treated in emergency rooms in the United States each year. The wrist, hand, and arm bones are the most commonly broken, but leg bones, ribs, and hip injuries are also commonly seen in various age groups and professions. In many cases, a broken bone can simply be set and allowed to knit together over several weeks, but in some situations, complications may make surgery necessary.
Contact bones repairing specialist at Orthopaedic Associates in Houston today to schedule a consultation about your bones repairing at one of our 5 local Houston area offices.
What Causes Bone Fractures?
In most cases, trauma is the cause of bone fracture surgery. Auto accidents fall, traumatic tool impacts – virtually any type of physical trauma has the potential to break a bone. Other causes of trauma include overuse from repetitive motion (stress fractures) and damage due to osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the condition is the underlying cause of 2 million broken bones each year in the United States.
What Are the Types of Bone Fracture?
Bones can break in many ways, ranging from hairline fractures that require little medical intervention to compound fractures that require significant surgery. Some of the more common types of bone fractures include the following:
- Oblique fracture
- Comminuted fracture
- Spiral fracture
- Stable fracture
- Stress fracture
- Open, compound fracture
- Transverse fracture
What Are the Symptoms of a Bone Fracture?
Bone fracture symptoms can range from slight pain and discomfort to debilitating pain. In many situations, a fracture may be marked by:
- Swelling around the injury site
- Pain/tenderness around the injury site
- Bruising at and around the injury site
- Deformity of a limb (the limb looks out of place)
- Bone visible through a puncture in the skin
Contact us to speak with one of our 5 area Houston Orthopaedic Sports Injury & Surgical offices to schedule a consultation.
Bone Fracture Surgery in Houston
A bone fracture also called a break, is any of several types of damage that may occur to a bone within the body. Bone Fracture Surgery is sometimes required to ensure the bone is set properly and has the best chance of healing correctly.
How Are Broken Bones Diagnosed?
In some cases, a doctor may be able to diagnose a broken bone through a visual inspection, but even in situations where a compound fracture leaves the bone visibly exposed, X-rays will be required. These are necessary to determine:
- The extent of the damage
- The type of fracture
- The number of broken bone pieces
- The location of bone fragments
- The presence of any foreign bodies in a wound (compound, exposed fracture)
What Are the Types of Bone Fracture Surgery?
While casting or splinting for immobilization might be the most common treatment for many types of bone fractures, some serious injuries do require fracture surgery. There are two types used today:
- Open Reduction and Internal Fixation: Pins, plates, screws, and other hardware may be used to secure bone fragments together to facilitate healing. The hardware will be removed once the fracture has healed.
- Open Reduction and External Fixation: When internal hardware cannot be used, an external framework may be installed to support the bone and hold it in place during the healing process.
Complications from Bone Fracture Surgery
While rare, there may be some complications from bone fracture surgery. These may include:
- Infection at the hardware installation site
- Hardware/implant loosening or failure
- Infection of the incision
- Infection at installation points of external framework/support
- Delayed union, malunion, nonunion of fragments
Is Bone Fracture Surgery Right for You?
If you have suffered a broken bone, fracture surgery may be necessary to ensure complete healing and bone repair. Contact us to schedule your Orthopaedic Surgical consultation.
