Fracture is a condition in which bone breaks due to one or the other condition. Traumatic injuries are the most common causes of fracture and they could be high impact or low impact. Apart from this, a fracture could also result due to certain diseases that weaken the bones of the patient. Some of such common conditions include osteoporosis, endocrine or intestinal disorders, osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), or tumors.
The fracture can be fixed surgically using Orthopaedic Implants or non-surgically using a cast, brace, or sling.
What are the Causes of Fractures?
A fracture occurs when excess pressure is applied to the bone than it can withstand. This generally happens when the bone is impacted highly by an object or on the ground due to falling. The force causing a fracture is generally very intense and sudden. Here are some of the events that could result in a fracture:
- Falling from a height
- Direct impact to the body by an object
- Traumatic events like automobile accidents or gunshot wounds
- Sports injuries
Who are at High Risk?
Both elderly and younger ones can get a fracture, but there are certain considerations about the people who are at high risk of getting a fracture.
The chances of fractures are high in people suffering from osteoporosis, brittle bone disease, or intestinal or endocrine disorders. Besides this, people who smoke or consume alcohol regularly are also prone to getting fractures easily.
How a Fracture is Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of a simple or closed fracture often starts with the physical examination of the injured area by the doctor. A physical examination is done to identify the cause of the fracture and the symptoms associated with it. After this, the doctor suggests an X-ray examination to see the location of the fracture and classify it. In certain cases, things do not get clear with just an X-ray examination, in those conditions, other imaging tests like MRI scan or CT scan may be performed. These tests are generally performed in complicated cases.
When it comes to open fractures, immediate cleaning and debridement of the wound are required followed by X-ray examination to detect the fractured bones.
How Fractures are Treated?
The treatment of a fracture will solely depend upon its location and severity, plus, the orthopedist will better be able to decide the best treatment procedure. A fracture can either be treated non-operatively or with surgery and this will be decided by the orthopedist.
If we talk about non-operative treatment, then this is generally preferred when the fracture is of non-displaced type. This means, that the fractured bone remains at its place after the break. Such cases can be well-managed with the application of a cast, sling, or brace. They are used to immobilize the fractured bone fragments while ensuring proper healing. In this case, the doctor will ask for periodic X-ray examinations to assess healing progress.
In the case of displaced fracture, where the broken bone moves out of its place, application of a sling or cast might not fix it. So, surgery is the only option left to fix displaced and severe fractures. The surgery is done using orthopedic implants like Orthopedic Bone Plates, Cannulated Cancellous Screws for the hand, External Fixator System, and many more. Again, the choice of the implant to be used will depend upon, the location of the fracture and its severity.