Pittman Fracture Treatment

The Best Fracture Treatment near Pittman

The word fracture is essentially the clinical term for any break in a bone. A fracture can vary in severity from compound fractures where the bone’s broken end punctures the skin to hairline fractures, which are minute cracks in the bone’s surface. Bones can fracture into one or several pieces and into many different patterns.

At Daouk Orthopaedics, we provide excellent fracture treatment near Pittman and offer this service at our Sandlake Commons Blvd. office. Dr. Daouk is a leading orthopedic surgeon and a well-respected name in the field. He and his skilled team treat most types of fractures and utilize both non-surgical (bracing/casting) and surgical treatments depending on the severity of your fracture.

Causes of Bone Fractures

Some of the most common causes of a bone fracture are:

• Overuse – Repetitive motions can tire the muscles and place excessive force on the underlying bone (stress fractures in athletes are an example)
• Trauma – A motor vehicle accident, fall, or injury
• Osteoporosis – This medical condition weakens the bones making them more prone to fractures

The injuries may involve any bone in the body, but the most frequent areas of fractures include the hand and wrist, foot and ankle, shoulder, and knee. When a bone fracture occurs, it is often considered a serious injury because it needs prompt treatment.

The importance of rapid attention is particularly true if the broken bone breaks through the skin or a more prominent bone like the upper arm bone (humerus) or thighbone (femur) or the lower leg bones (fibula and tibia) have fractured. Fractures are typical workplace, sports, and home injuries.

At our specialty orthopedic practice near Pittman, Dr. Daouk treats most types of fractures. He has decades of experience in the field and is a board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeon. The doctor is dynamic and uses the most advanced technologies and surgical modalities to offer his patients top-notch orthopedic treatments.

Signs That You Have a Fracture

The most typical symptoms of a broken bone or fracture include:

• A grinding or snapping sound when the injury happens
• Intense pain right after the injury
• Pain that gets more severe when you touch or move the injured area
• Bruising, redness, or swelling around the area of injury
• Visibly deformed injured area
• A broken bone jutting through the skin
• Difficulty supporting your weight with the injured limb

Different Types of Fractures

• Closed Fracture- Human bones are usually very rigid; however, they do “give” or bend to some degree when external forces are applied. If the pressure or impact is excessive, the bone will break, like how a plastic ruler snaps if you bend it too far. The fracture’s severity typically depends on the strength of the force or impact. If the breaking point of the bone is exceeded slightly, it may only develop a crack and stay in the correct position

• Open Fracture– In case of extreme force or a heavy impact, such as one caused by an automobile crash, the bone might shatter and significantly move out of position. If the broken bone sticks out through the skin, it is called an open fracture. This type of fracture is especially serious. Once the skin breaks, it can result in bone and wound infection

• Stable Fracture– The bone’s broken ends are barely out of position, and they line up well

• Displaced Fracture– When the broken bone snaps very far out of its place and the two ends are entirely misaligned, it is called a displaced fracture. Its severity makes it much harder to treat only with immobilization, and Dr. Daouk would usually recommend surgical fracture treatment near Pittman to the patient

• Transverse Fracture– The bone fracture occurs at a 90-degree angle to the bone’s long axis because the blow was perpendicular to that bone

• Oblique Fracture– A curved break or one at an angle to the bone

• Stress Fracture– Hairline fracture in a bone caused from overuse

• Comminute Fracture– The bone shatters into multiple pieces. This is a severe type of break that can occur due to heavy impact like in a major car accident

• Pathologic Fracture– This fracture is the result of a disease where the person’s condition weakens their bones to the point that they fracture easily (osteoporosis is an example)

• Greenstick Fracture– These types of fractures most often occur in children whose bones have not developed fully yet. The child’s bones are soft and may break or just bend after an injury

Pittman Fracture Treatment

There are various treatment options for treating bone fractures near Pittman. Here we look at what they are:

1. Cast Immobilization

A fiberglass/plaster cast is the most standard type of fracture treatment since most broken bones heal successfully once the doctor applies the cast to keep the bones in the correct position while healing occurs.

1. Traction

This involves using a steady, gentle pulling motion to align a bone/bones and is very rarely used these days.

1. Functional Brace/ Cast

The brace or cast allows controlled or limited movement of the joints near the fracture.

1. Surgery

The doctor may use one of two surgical procedures in Pittman fracture treatment:

• External Fixation– Dr. Daouk will place metal screws or pins into the impacted bone just below and above the fracture site. He will connect these screws or pins to a metal bar right outside the skin. This stabilizing frame helps to keep the bones in the proper position during the healing process. If there is severe damage to the soft tissues and skin around the fracture, Dr. Daouk may use an external fixator.

• ORIF (Open Reduction and Internal Fixation)– In this procedure, the doctor will reposition (reduce) the bone fragments to their normal alignment. He will then fix them together with metal plates, screws or pins that can attached to the bone’s outer surfaces. In some cases, he may insert rods through the bone’s center to keep the fragments together.

The treatment option that Dr. Ayman Daouk uses will depend on the injury’s severity and his assessment of your overall condition.

The Fracture Examination near Pittman

Dr. Daouk will carefully examine the affected part to assess the injury’s severity. He will ask about your medical history and how the injury took place. The doctor will also take x-rays that provide clear images of that bone, helping him determine if there is a fracture, its location, and its severity.

Recovery From a Bone Fracture near Pittman

Fractures in Pittman can take several months to heal. The timeframe depends on the injury’s severity, your medical condition, whether you are a child or adult, and if you follow your prescribed instructions for rehabilitation. The pain will not last very long, and it diminishes well before the fracture heals enough to support normal movement and activity.

Even after removing your brace or cast, you may still have some limitations regarding movement or weight bearing until the bone is strong enough for regular activity. You will very likely lose some of your muscle strength while the bones are immobilized. Dr. Daouk will often prescribe physical therapy that will help to restore joint motion, flexibility, and muscle strength.