what treatment do you do for a closed fracture near the right tibia

Treatment Treatment often involves surgical repair by inserting an intramedullary

nail into the tibia. This is a metal nail is also known as an ‘IM nail’. Its purpose is to hold the fracture in place. Your surgeon may also use an external fixator.

Full Answer

What is the healing time for a tibia fracture?

Recovery time for a tibia fracture typically takes 4-6 months to heal completely. If the fracture is open or comminuted, healing time may take longer. Your doctor will often prescribe medications for pain-relief for a short period of time after the injury or surgery. How long before you can walk on a broken tibia?

Do I need to undergo surgery for a tibia fracture?

Tibia fractures are common and usually caused by a sudden forceful injury, like a fall or motor vehicle accident. If the tibia fracture is severe, you may need surgery.

What is the recovery time for cracked tibia?

Recovery time also depends on how bad the fracture is and can take from four to six months to heal. What is the healing time for a broken tibia? The average time to healing in a simple tibia fracture is about 4.5 months.

How long is recovery from tibia surgery?

Your Recovery You can expect some pain and swelling around the cut (incision) the doctor made. This should get better within a few days after your surgery. But it is normal to have some pain for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery and mild pain for up to 6 weeks after surgery.

How long does it take for a closed tibia fracture to heal?

What is the recovery process for a tibia fracture? Recovery time for a tibia fracture typically takes 4-6 months to heal completely. If the fracture is open or comminuted, healing time may take longer. Your doctor will often prescribe medications for pain-relief for a short period of time after the injury or surgery.

What is a closed fracture of the tibia?

Tibia fractures can also be closed or open. With closed fractures, the bone doesn't break through the skin. Internal soft tissues such as tendons and blood vessels may be affected by this type of break. In open fractures, the broken bone breaks through the skin.

How would you manage a closed fracture?

AdvertisementStop any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with a sterile bandage, a clean cloth or a clean piece of clothing.Immobilize the injured area. Don't try to realign the bone or push a bone that's sticking out back in. ... Apply ice packs to limit swelling and help relieve pain. ... Treat for shock.

How serious is a tibia fracture?

A broken tibia-fibula is a fracture in the lower leg that happens when a fall or blow places more pressure on the bones than they can withstand. A tibia-fibula fracture is a serious injury that requires prompt immediate medical attention. With timely and proper treatment, a broken tibia-fibula can heal completely.

Can you walk with a tibia fracture?

Can you still walk with a fractured tibia? In most cases, the answer is no. Walking after a tibia fracture can make your injury worse and may cause further damage to the surrounding muscles, ligaments and skin. Walking on a fractured tibia is also likely to be extremely painful.

Do all tibia fractures need surgery?

Surgery may be needed to fix a broken tibia. Open fractures need to be cleaned and treated right away, since they have a risk of infection. There are different surgical methods that may be used depending on where the tibia is broken, how severe the break is, and if other parts of the leg were also damaged.

What are the complications of a closed fracture?

Complications of fractures fall into two categories: early and delayed. Early complications include shock, fat embolism, compartment syndrome, deep vein thrombosis, thromboembolism (pulmonary embolism), disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and infection.

What does a closed fracture mean?

Closed fracture (also called simple fracture). The bone is broken, but the skin is intact.

Can a closed fracture heal on its own?

Provided that the conditions are right for the break to heal completely, a broken bone or fracture can actually repair itself. After a fracture, a blood clot forms around the break. Then, bone cells begin to form on the sides of the fracture line, moving towards the center of the break, until the break heals.

Can tibia fracture heal without surgery?

Distal tibial metaphyseal fractures usually heal well after setting them without surgery and applying a cast. However, there is a risk of full or partial early closure of the growth plate. This may lead to a growth arrest in the form of leg length discrepancy or other deformity.

How long does it take to walk after tibia fracture?

Most people with tibial shaft fractures do very well and return to prior activities and function. By six weeks, patients are extremely comfortable and usually are released to full activities such as manual labor, skiing and motocross by four months.

How long does a tibia fracture take to heal in adults?

Recovery. Most tibial shaft fractures take 4 to 6 months to heal completely. Some take even longer, especially if the fracture was open or broken into several pieces or if the patients uses tobacco products.

What are the factors that lead to disability following a closed tibial shaft fracture?

To determine the appropriate treatment for these injuries, the surgeon should consider the many factors that lead to disability following a closed tibial shaft fracture, such as delayed union, nonunion, infection, nerve injury, contracture, and angular deformity, and choose the method of treatment that minimizes these problems. Orthopaedic surgeons do not agree on how much deviation from anatomic alignment is acceptable for a good functional outcome 5. On the basis of a long-term review of the cases of thirty-seven patients with a tibial shaft fracture treated with a cast, Merchant and Dietz concluded that "the clinical and radiographic outcomes were unaffected by the amounts of anterior or posterior and of varus or valgus angulation. . . ." 6 Despite this finding, various standards have been proposed by numerous authors 6 - 14 as guidelines for "acceptable alignment." Bridgman and Baird found that, depending on the parameters used to define alignment, 4% or 42% of the tibiae in their study would be considered malaligned 7. Therefore, published alignment parameters are guidelines at best, with no substantiated scientific data to support them. In addition to avoiding factors that lead to disability, surgeons choosing among treatment options must consider other goals, including simple management, early weight-bearing, early range of motion of the knee and ankle, early return to work, and cost-effectiveness.

What is the classification of a fractured tibial shaft?

Most surgeons classify tibial shaft fractures with simple descriptive terms such as proximal, middle, or distal in addition to transverse, oblique, spiral, segmental, or comminuted. The benefits of a simple classification such as this are familiarity with the terms and a high degree of understanding of what the terms represent. The disadvantages are ambiguity and subjectivity, which make simple classifications less useful for publication and research purposes.

What are the complications of plate fixation?

Infection and wound-healing complications are the primary problems associated with plate fixation 58, 74. The risk of these adverse events can be lessened when soft-tissue reconstruction is performed at the time of the plate fixation. In general, the risk of wound problems outweighs the high rate of union and low rate of malunion associated with plate fixation, as other methods (especially reamed nailing) have similarly good results with less risk of wound complications.

What is external fixation?

External fixation is a versatile technique that can be used for any fracture. Typically, it is chosen for one of two reasons: provisional fixation or definitive fixation. Provisional external fixation is the initial treatment of choice for high-energy closed or open fractures when the viability of the limb is threatened. In these cases, it may be prudent to allow the degree of soft-tissue injury to become apparent before a final decision about limb salvage or fixation is made. Definitive external fixation is usually reserved for patients with unacceptably small medullary canals, children ( Figs. 15-A and 15-B ), or patients with a complex periarticular fracture. In the third case, a ring or hybrid fixator is recommended.

Can you use intravenous sedation for tibial fracture?

Intravenous sedation can be used when the fracture does not require manipulative reduction. The first step in applying a cast for the treatment of a tibial fracture is to wrap a full-contact below-the-knee cast around the leg. A well-padded arm board can be used to dangle the leg over the side of a table ( Fig. 1 ).

Is plate fixation contraindicated?

Plate fixation is contraindicated when the soft tissues are compromised, such as in association with an open fracture or a high-energy closed fracture. Extensive comminution of the fracture and a fracture in a patient with osteopenia are relative contraindications to plate fixation.

Can a fractured tibial be treated with a cast?

In summary, patients with a closed, stable tibial fracture can be treated successfully with a cast. Intramedullary nailing is more convenient, and it may provide superior results, but prospective randomized studies with adequate power need to be done to confirm this. Operative treatment is recommended for open or closed unstable fractures and for fractures that cannot be held in adequate alignment. Intramedullary nail fixation is the treatment of choice for the majority of tibial fractures that require stabilization.

Why is it important to clean a fractured bone?

This is an important distinction because when a broken bone penetrates the skin (an open fracture) there is a need for urgent treatment, and an operation is often required to clean the area of the fracture. Furthermore, because of the risk of infection, there are more often problems associated with healing when a fracture is open to the skin. 1 . ...

What are the factors that determine the treatment of fractures?

Even in two situations of seemingly identical fracture patterns, treatment may differ based on factors such as patient age, patient preference, or surgeon preference.

Why do pathologic fractures occur?

Pathologic fractures occur when there is a weakening of the bone as a result of infection, tumors, or other medical conditions that can weaken the structure of the bone. Pathologic fractures sometimes occur with very low energy injuries.

What are some examples of closed fractures?

Examples of the most common closed fractures include: Broken Wrist: A wrist fracture is one of the most common type of fracture that requires medical treatment. Often closed wrist fractures can be treated with a cast to hold the healing bones in proper position. More severe wrist fractures may require surgery, even when the injury is closed.

What is a fracture in a car?

Most often, fractures occur is a result of an injury such as a fall, motor vehicle collision, or sports injury. However, fractures can also occur as a result of overuse. These types of fractures are called stress fractures and occur as a result of excessive, repetitive use of the bone. Lastly, fractures can also occur as a result ...

What is cast immobilization?

Cast Immobilization: Casts are often used for the treatment of many types of fractures. Casts help to hold bones in proper alignment and protect the healing bone. Internal Fixation : Internal fixation is used to realign broken bones, and then hold the healing bones in position with metal plates, pins, rods, or screws.

What is a broken ankle?

Ankle Fractures: A broken ankle can occur when the ankle joint is severely twisted in the bone is injured. Depending on the type and severity of the injury, surgery may be needed. Spinal Compression Fracture: The spinal column is made of vertebrae stacked up upon each other.

How to prevent tibia fracture?

However, the following tips can help lower your risk of a tibia fracture. Don’t smoke or use tobacco products. Keep home clean and floor clutter free to avoid falling or tripping. Eat a diet rich in calcium to lower risk of osteoporosis. Exercise regularly to keep bones and muscles in shape.

How long does it take for a tibia fracture to heal?

What is the recovery process for a tibia fracture? Recovery time for a tibia fracture typically takes 4-6 months to heal completely. If the fracture is open or comminuted, healing time may take longer. Your doctor will often prescribe medications for pain-relief for a short period of time after the injury or surgery.

What type of fracture can you endure?

The type of tibia fracture you can endure greatly depends on the initial force that causes the break. They are classified depending on their location and the pattern of the break.

What is the most commonly fractured long bone in the human body?

Fortunately, these impacts rarely carry enough force to cause an even more painful injury: a fracture of the tibia . “The tibia is the most commonly fractured long bone in the human body,” explains Kwadwo Owusu-Akyaw, MD, a sports medicine specialist.

What type of fracture is a horizontal line going straight across the tibia?

They are classified depending on their location and the pattern of the break. Transverse fracture: the break of a transverse fracture is a horizontal line going straight across the tibial shaft.

What is a closed fracture?

Closed fracture: the skin surrounding the fracture is intact. Open or compound fracture: the broken end of the tibia punctures through the skin, or there is a wound that shows the bone . This type of fracture can cause much more significant damage to the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

How long does it take to replace a cast after a fracture?

Aaron Ferro, DO, CAQSM, another sports medicine specialist states, ”The fracture site often needs to be immobilized in cast for 6-8 weeks. After 6-8 weeks, the cast may be replaced with a removable brace.

How to diagnose a fractured tibia?

To diagnose a fractured tibia, a doctor will ask about a person’s medical history and how the injury happened. They will do an examination and order diagnostic tests to assess the extent of the injury and whether the bone is fractured. This is important for determining the best course of treatment.

What is a tibia fracture?

A tibia fracture refers to any crack or breaks in the tibia bone. The tibia is one of two bones that make up the lower leg, the other being the fibula. The tibia is the larger of these two bones. The tibia plays a key role in body mechanics, as it is: the larger of the two lower leg bones.

What type of fracture is a tibia?

The tibia can have the following types of fracture: Stable fracture. A stable fracture involves a crack in the bone that leaves most of the bone intact and in its normal position. The broken parts of the tibia line up and maintain their correct position during the healing process.

What is the tibia?

Share on Pinterest. The tibia is the larger bone in the lower leg. It plays a key role in supporting a person’s body weight. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the tibia is the most common long bone in the body to fracture. A tibia fracture refers to any crack or breaks in the tibia bone.

What are the complications of a tibia fracture?

Complications. Complications of a tibia fracture may include: complications from surgery or the need for further surgeries. nerve, muscle, or blood vessel damage. compartment syndrome, a serious condition which there is a reduction in blood supply to the leg due to swelling. a bone infection called osteomyelitis.

What is a transverse fracture?

It may be a transverse fracture, meaning the crack is horizontal across the bone, or oblique, meaning the crack is at an angle. Proximal fractures are those that affect the upper part of the tibia.

Where do fractures occur in the tibia?

Fractures of the tibia or shinbone are common and can be caused by many types of situations. They can occur anywhere along the bone and include many variations in fracture type.

What is closed tibial shaft fracture?

Closed tibial shaft fractures are common injuries that remain challenging to treat because of the wide spectrum of fracture patterns and soft-tissue injuries. Understanding the indications for surgical and nonsurgical treatment of these fractures is essential for good outcomes. Although cast treatment of stable tibial shaft fractures has ...

Can intramedullary nails heal fractures?

Although cast treatment of stable tibial shaft fractures has traditionally been successful and continues to be widely used, recent clinical studies have shown that intramedullary nails may be more advantageous for fracture healing and function than casting.

How long does it take to recover from a tibia fracture?

Tibia Fracture. A tibia fracture in the lower leg is the most common injury of all long bone fractures. Full recovery can take at least a year and sometimes two. Here we explain the various types and causes, as well as treatment and rehabilitation.

What is a tibia fracture?

A tibia fracture is a break of the tibia (shin bone). They are normally caused by trauma such as a sports injury, or a fall at home or work. A broken tibia can be a variety of complex injuries, that often involve the knee and ankle as well.

What is the name of the nail that holds a fracture in place?

Often associated with larger displacements of the fracture and treated by inserting an intramedullary nail (a metal nail is also known as an ‘ IM nail’) into the tibia to hold the fracture in place or the use of an external fixator.

How long does it take for a fractured ankle to heal?

Problems: Fracture healing will take longer and can often be an issue for up to six months whilst the patient is still on crutches. Ankle and knee outcomes are a concern, as the patient often experiences long-term problems and restrictions due to the complexity of the fractures.

How long does it take to cast a fractured leg?

Simple fracture treatment. These are often treated conservatively with a full leg cast for usually 4 weeks. This is followed by a below-knee or patella tendon bearing cast for a further 6 weeks. The patient will be non-weight bearing for the first 4 weeks and will gradually start to increase load over the next 6 weeks.

Where is the tibial plateau?

Multiple, comminuted, compound (breaks skin) and those involving fractures through the ankle joint or the tibial plateau, which is the bit at the top of the bone just below the knee will often need more intensive treatment.

What type of fractures are more complex?

Moderate tibia fractures. These are more complex fracture types that may need stabilizing surgically. Fractures where the bone juts out and the two parts aren’t in-line (displaced), which shatter the bone (comminuted) or are caused by twisting (spiral fracture) are amongst the type needing surgery.

What to do if you break a tibia bone?

If the broken bone is stable, then you probably won’t need surgery. You’ll need to wear a cast, splint or brace which holds the bone in place while it heals.

How long does it take to heal a fractured tibia?

In most cases, the recovery time for a fractured tibia is six to ten weeks, but this will vary considerably depending on the patient and fracture. You may experience some swelling for up to a year afterwards. Minor stress fractures may take less time than this and severe breaks may take more.

What is the bone that runs between your knee and your foot?

The tibia (shinbone) is one of two long bones in your lower leg that runs between your knee and your foot. Tibia fractures are common and are usually caused by a sudden forceful injury, like a fall or motor vehicle accident. If the fracture is severe, you may need surgery to correct the deformity.

How to tell if you have a fractured tibia?

The main symptoms of a fractured tibia are: 1 Immediate and severe pain 2 Being unable to walk or put any weight on your injured leg 3 Bruising and swelling 4 Your leg may be an odd shape 5 Bone may be protruding through the skin 6 Some people feel faint, dizzy, or sick

What is a tibial fracture?

Causes and Types of Tibial Fractures. Tibial fractures are usually caused by a sudden injury such as a fall, collision while playing sports, automobile and cycling accidents. If the upper part of the bone is affected, it’s known as a proximal or plateau fracture and if the lower part breaks, it’s called a distal or pilon fracture.

Which bone is the most commonly fractured?

Of all the long bones in the body – which include the femur, humerus, tibia and fibula – the tibia is the most commonly fractured. Around 4% of the senior population (1) experience a fractured tibia.

What is external fixation?

External fixation: this procedure involves placing metal pins into the bone above and below the fracture. A bar located on the outside of the skin is attached to the pins, stabilizing the frame and holding the bones in the proper position. Once the bone has healed, the frame is removed.

What are the symptoms of a fractured tibia?

The symptoms of a tibial plateau fracture are: Pain when weight is applied. Deformity around the knee. Swelling.

What causes a fracture in the upper tibia?

A fracture of the upper tibia can occur from stress (minor breaks from unusual excessive activity) or from already compromised bone (as in cancer or infection). Most, however, are the result of trauma (injury). Both low-energy injuries (fall from a height and sports-related trauma) and high-energy injuries (motor vehicle accidents) can cause tibial plateau fractures. Additionally, these fractures may result in improper limb alignment. The upper tibia is also prone to becoming fractured in high speed accidents such as those associated with skiing, horseback riding and certain water sports.

What is a tibial plateau fracture?

A tibial plateau fracture is a bone fracture or break in the continuity of the bone occurring in the proximal (upper) part of the tibia (shinbone). The tibial plateau is one of the most critical loadbearing areas in the human body. The bone comprising the tibial plateau is cancellous (“crunchy”), as opposed to the thicker cortical bone of the tibial shaft. The composition of the bone is important, because cancellous bone may compress and remain depressed when it is injured. Fractures of the tibial plateau are often associated with injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament, collateral ligaments, menisci and articular cartilage. Tibial plateau fractures affect the knee alignment, joint, stability and movement. Thus, fractures of the tibial plateau are considered quite serious as this upper surface of the bone contains structures which are critical to the knee functioning.

What is open arthroscopic technique?

Open or arthroscopic-assisted techniques are considered for fractures with displacement, depression of the condylar surfaces, or both. If surgical treatment is elected to obtain and maintain alignment, several devices may be considered for internal and external fixation.

Why do women have low energy fractures?

Low-energy fractures are commonly seen in older females, due to osteoporotic bone changes, and are typically depressed fractures. High-energy fractures are commonly seen in young individuals due to their heightened level of activities.

What is external fixator?

If the condition of the soft tissues is such that the application of a cast or splint would be unwise, an “external fixator” may be considered. With this device, (often temporary) pins are inserted above and below the joint. These pins exit the skin and are connected by bars, which stabilize the knee joint.

Is cast bracing a nonsurgical treatment?

However, functional cast bracing is now preferred as nonsurgical treatment.