Fractures of the Radius and Ulna Treatment
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Overview
Forearm fractures are relatively uncommon injuries. Some fractures will simply be a crack while others will be significant elbow and wrist injuries.
Assessment
Trauma Surgeons at Bone & Joint will assess your injury and organise x-rays and scans if required. If surgery is needed, the team will help guide you through the process as a successful outcome will require recovery and rehabilitation, often with physiotherapists or a hand therapist. Some fractures will still need a cast after surgery and other types of fractures can be managed in a sling.
Treatment
Non-operative management
A simple crack in the bone, while painful, will normally heal well. Specialists will oversee treatment in a splint, cast or sling. Follow up x-rays will be required. Sometimes the bone will fail to heal naturally. If this is the case, surgery maybe required.
Surgical management
If the broken bone has moved too much, has failed to heal or if there is instability of the elbow forearm or wrist, surgery to lock the bone back in place may be the best option.
Risks associated with surgery
As with all surgery, there are risks repairing fixing your forearm fracture. These include infection, delayed healing or no healing of the bone. Difficulty with pain and range of movement may also be occur. Nerves may be injured as a result of your injury or the surgery to fix it. Often, surgery to remove screws, wires or plate is required in the future, once the bone has healed. Removal of bone fragments may be required. Arthritis of the elbow or wrist may occur as a result of this injury.
Post-operative management
Once fixed, you can begin to move the elbow, hand and wrist under the instruction of your surgeon and your physiotherapist. Your wound will need to be checked 2 weeks after the operation to make sure that the skin is healing well.
If you and your surgeon decide that surgery is the best option for your forearm injury, you will stay in hospital overnight following your surgery and will be discharged the next day with pain relief to take for two to three of days as you need.
There will be a dressing over the surgical incision on your forearm. You will have a bandage over the arm and a sling. If the fracture was particularly bad, a half cast may be required to keep the elbow and wrist still.
For most fractures, you can move your fingers, wrist and shoulder straight away, but wear the sling provided for most of the day. The sling helps to take the weight of your arm to let the elbow rest.
After 2 weeks you will have an appointment to have your wound checked, any stitches will be removed. The team will then give you advice on exercises and physiotherapy.
Physiotherapy can be helpful to get your elbow and wrist moving and strong again, but do not start this until you have had your appointment at 2 weeks.
When to contact us
If you have any of these problems, please call Dr Stevens or his rooms on 03 5752 5020
Fever
Heavy bleeding or ooze from the wound
Increased swelling and redness around the surgery site
Pain in the calf muscles or difficulty breathing
