Do I Need Distal Radial Fracture Surgery?
Orthopedic doctors address a wide variety of conditions related to the musculoskeletal system. Among those conditions are injuries to the commonly fractured bones of the body: the vertebrae, the hips and the wrists. When it comes to wrist fractures, the story often sounds similar. If you’re a patient currently wondering, “Do I need distal radial fracture surgery?” then your story may have sounded something like the one below...
A Common Distal Radial Fracture Story
You reach to grab a box off a high shelf and lose your balance. Falling backward, you extend your arm out to catch yourself and upon impact, you immediate experience pain, swelling and tenderness at the base of your hand.
You’ve obviously sustained a serious injury to your wrist. You think it’s fractured and now the questions are: how bad is the break and where did it occur? And if you’re getting ahead of yourself, you may already be wondering, “Do I need distal radial fracture surgery?”
You’ve made your appointment and in the mean time, you’re icing your wrist and keeping it immobilized. You know that if at any time during your wait, your wrist or hand becomes numb or your fingers turn white, it’s time to head directly to the emergency room.
When you get in to see your orthopedic doctor, he or she orders x-rays, which identify the location of the break and the severity of the displacement. The diagnosis is confirmed.
Finding a Solution: Do I Need Distal Radial Fracture Surgery?
An orthopedic physician with experience in the wrist subspecialty will know what to look for and how to determine the best treatment option based on your age, activity level, bone density and other factors. The ultimate goal of any treatment is to restore the proper alignment of the bones and regain strength and stability in the wrist.
If conservative treatment options (such as closed reduction and casting) are not sufficient, the physician may recommend surgery to correct a deformed wrist joint. In this case, it is essential that the patient schedules surgery with an experienced wrist expert they can trust.
To make an appointment with a member of our wrist subspecialty team at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, call 1-800-321-9999 today!
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