Home Health Center Fractures   Fractures - Treatment

Treatment for Fractures

 Treatments for fractures are selected based on the severity of the injury. Realignment and immobilization of the broken bone using a plaster cast is the standard form of treatment for a majority of fractures. The joints above and below the site of the broken bone are immobilized to prevent movement at the site of the fracture. The ends of the broken bones may need to be lined up in their natural position before the healing starts. This process, called fracture reduction, involves physically manipulating the ends of the bone that is broken and can be quite painful for the patient. Hence the patient is sedated so that the muscles in the injured area are relaxed and reduction can be accomplished easily by the physician.

In the case of compound fractures where the bone is broken into several fragments, surgery may be necessary to align the broken ends of the bones together. Once they are anatomically aligned, the pieces of bone may be held together with orthopedic screws, pins or metal plates to ensure that the bone stays in the right position and grows. These supports to the bone may be temporary, to be removed at a later date once the bone heals or they may be required as permanent implants to add strength to the bone.