Important Information For Patients Looking For Wrist Fracture Surgeons

Some of these specialists can be found close to home, at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute locations in the Philadelphia and South Jersey areas.  At Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, we not only want to provide patients like you or your loved ones with the highest level of care; we also want to offer you information that will be helpful to you before you even arrive at your first appointment. With these resources, we hope you will be able to seek the help you may need with confidence. So, below you will find some of the most important answers for patients who have experienced wrist fractures.  

 

 

A wrist fracture refers to the condition in which one of the bones of the wrist is broken. The wrist is made up of 8 small bones and 2 forearm bones. The forearm bones are called the radius and the ulna. 

 

Within this broad category, there are different classifications of wrist fracture. For example during some such breaks, one or more bones may puncture the skin. This is called a compound fracture and typically carries a higher risk of infection than other types. Other fractures can be classified as simple, only affecting the two large bones of the forearm; these are among the more stable injuries that involve multiple bones. The nature of your wrist fracture will often play an important role in determining the best treatment option. Experienced wrist fracture surgeons or physicians will be able to classify your particular injury. 

 

 

Fractures occur when enough pressure is applied to the wrist bones, an event that can happen during an action as simple as outstretching your hand when you fall down or in a more severe incident such as a car accident or a fall from a ladder.  Another leading contributor to wrist fractures is osteoporosis, a condition which causes bones to become brittle and fragile.   

 

 

When determining the best course of treatment for your particular wrist fracture, your doctor will consider a number of factors, including your age, activity level, lifestyle, hand dominance, and medical history. Additionally, your doctor will consider the nature of the injury itself and treatment options which will be most effective to treat it. Most wrist fracture treatment options can be divided into two categories: non-surgical and surgical.

 

Simple fractures, such as those that did not involve fragmenting or shifting of the bones out of place, may be treated with a splint or a cast. If there does happen to be fragmented pieces or bones that are out of place, doctors can often reset the fracture to the proper position to receive non-surgical treatment. 

 

If bones are significantly shifted out of position, fragmented, or unstable or if there is joint involvement, surgery may be the best option. In these cases, wrist fracture surgeons may use pins or a small plate and several screws to hold the bones in the correct position during recovery. In rare cases where the bone is missing or severely crushed, a bone graft may be necessary.

 

If you are looking for experienced wrist fracture surgeons, be sure to turn to Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.  Our hand and wrist specialists have extensive experience in this area of orthopaedics and can provide you the expert care you need. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 1.800.321.9999.