In this article, Dr. Saurabh Talekar, one of the best orthopedic surgeons in Vashi will be talking about the treatment for bone fractures.Dr. Saurabh Talekar is an orthopaedic surgeon in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, who is highly qualified and skilled. The Wholistic Care Centre is his creation and he is the director.
He is a well-known arthroplasty surgeon in Vashi, with extensive experience in knee surgery. To relieve postoperative pain and speed up healing, he employs advanced surgical treatments.
His methods result in a quick recovery, less pain, and long-term outcomes.
What is a bone fracture?
A fracture is a partial or complete crack or break in the bone; this happens when the force exerted is much stronger than the bone can withstand. These fractures can occur anywhere in the body. Most Common fractures occur in the hip, ankle, and wrist.
Dr. Saurabh Talekar, one of the best orthopedic surgeon in Vashi, says that some fractures need immediate treatment like the compound fracture ( compound fractures-affect the surrounding area and penetrates the skin causing a risk of infection)
Types of bone fractures
- Simple fracture: A simple fracture is also called a closed fracture, where the fractured bone has not cut through the skin.
- Compound fracture: A compound fracture is also called an open fracture, where the fractured (broken) bone has pierced the surrounding skin and tissue, which can cause an infection or external bleeding.
- Greenstick fracture: A greenstick fracture is a thin crack in the bone; this fracture is very common in children because their bones are weak and more flexible than the adult bones.
- Stress fracture: A stress fracture occurs when there is a repeated cycle of stress on the bones because of certain activities like jogging or running.
- Comminuted fracture: A comminuted fracture is when the bone is broken or shattered into many pieces.
- Impacted fracture: An impacted fracture is when a piece of the fractured bone impacts or affects another bone.
- Compression fracture: A compression fracture is caused when two bones exert force on each other. Compression fractures, in most cases, are caused by osteoporosis ( a condition where the bones become weak and brittle). Old people are at a higher risk of this fracture.
- Avulsion fracture: Avulsion fracture happens when the muscle or ligament pulls a part of your bone. This fracture is common in the elbow, hip, and the ankle.
Diagnosis of a bone fracture
Dr Saurabh Talekar, one of the best orthopedic surgeons in vashi, Navi Mumbai says that the most common way of diagnosing a bone fracture is through an x-ray. Other methods of diagnosing include CT scans (computed tomography) and MRI scans(magnetic resonance imaging).
Treatment of a bone fracture
Bone fractures usually heal themselves when they are aligned correctly. The doctors will make sure that the broken bones are aligned perfectly.
Once the doctors have aligned the broken bones, they must ensure that the bones stay in one place; for this, some methods include:
- Plaster casts – to give support and immobilize the bone.
- Braces – to provide support to the broken bone
- Splints – stop the movement of the broken bone.
- Traction – traction is a combination of pins, pulleys, and weight to promote healing of the broken bone.
- Inserted metal rods – to hold the bones together
- Pain relief – oral ibuprofen or oral paracetamol for minor pain; intranasal or intravenous opioids for mild to severe limb pain.
- Operation for bone fractures: The most common method for treating a bone fracture is with a cast(made from plaster of Paris). The cast is wrapped around the broken limb for rugged protection. Dr. Talekar says that some severe or complicated fractures do need operations that include:
- Long bones: Thigh bones, also called the femur bone, are long bones in the body. These long bones are tough to keep in place, so it needs surgery to align the bones together. The treatment for children includes traction, while adults are treated with internal nailing (An intramedullary rod, also known as an interlocking nail, is a metal rod forced into the medullary cavity of a bone to give it stability)
- Compound fractures: These fractures are cleaned thoroughly in the operating room, and the doctor removes any piece of debris, after which the doctor will do either an internal or external fixation to the fracture. Fixation refers to the use of rods, wires, pins, screws and/or plates placed to hold the bone in proper position during healing.
- Simple fractures: The shattered bone’s two parts are lined up and secured in place. The wet plaster is applied after the limb has been carefully wrapped. The cast is sometimes broken in half once the plaster has dried, therefore the doctor has to re-bandage the fracture wound multiple times.
