Angulated Bone Fracture Treatment | Surgery | Healing Time

Angulated fractures are cases of bone fractures wherein the fragmented shards of the bones are positioned in angles from one another. It is caused by the displacement of a fragment whenever the normal alignment of the bones is disrupted. Deformities on the separated segments of the bone occur, which is sometimes very noticeable even though the bone shard has not pierced the skin. Most angulated fractures result to open fracture injuries because the shards of bones are usually sharp-cornered or are very pointed. Thus, in most cases, an angulated bone goes through the skin, breaking the epidermis and causing bruises.

Angulated Fracture Types

• Linear fracture- the fragments are found parallel to the axis of the main bone
• Oblique fracture-the shards of bone are diagonal to the axis of the main bone
• Transverse fracture- the fracture is found during a right angle to the long axis of the bone

Diagnosis

Most angulated fractures are open fractures so patients only undergo a brief diagnosis procedure before the surgery. The doctor will usually have a very brief interview with the patient regarding the history of the injury. The patient is placed under the influence of painkillers, which can be administered either through an injection or an IV line. For angulated fractures with only small wounds or classified as closed injuries, an x-ray scan of the area may be requested for the physician to see the severity of the injury. The wound will then be cleaned and covered with gauze. General anesthesia will be administered before the patient is sent to the operating room. In some cases, the patient’s blood sample will be taken to check if any infection has developed on the open wound already. If the wound is large, there would be blood transfusion to stop the patient from having blood loss.

Angulated Fracture Causes

• Body part that was driven/slammed to a hard surface
• Automobile and sports accidents
• Falling on a bad angle
• Body part that was squashed/crushed in an angle

Angulated Fracture Symptoms

• Breaking of the skin
• Bone sticking on the skin (for open fractures)
• Swelling
• Bleeding
• Deformed body part
• Mild fever

Angulated Fracture Treatment

For closed angulated fractures, initial treatment is administered by splinting the injured area to immobilize it. After the initial diagnosis, it is up to the doctor to decide whether internal fixation or external fixation will be used. Cases of closed angulated fractures are mostly treated by external fixation methods which simply make use of the slings, casts, and braces. Severely fragmented closed fractures can also be treated with the use of specialized metal braces equipped with screws and wires for adjusting. Patients who have undergone external fixation treatment are required to wear their immobilization aids for no more than seven weeks.

Moreover, most angulated fractures are classified as open fractures which can be effectively treated through the use of surgery. After the brief diagnosis of the doctor, the patient will be given a temporary splint and tetanus prohpylaxis to avoid the development of bacterial complications on the open wound. During the surgery, the patient will undergo surgical debridement wherein the surgeon removes the unattached bone fragments from the wound site. The wound will then be cleaned using sterile fluids which contain antibiotics and medical grade water. Once the injured site is already decontaminated, an orthopedic surgeon will start to stabilize the fracture by using plates and rods to hold the fragmented bones together. The area will be closed using stitches and be left for a couple of days until they are also put on casts for further immobilization.

Angulated Fracture Recovery Time – Healing Time: It may take more than 2 months.

Prevention

Angulated fractures are usually caused from incidents with high-impact trauma so being cautious when doing highly hazardous activities is the number one preventive method. People who cannot actually avoid participating in risky activities should at least wear protective body gears before embarking on anything dangerous. Though these gears cannot actually prevent the danger of having a fracture, they can at least soften the impact and minimize the chance of the injury from being an open fracture. Having calcium supplements can also help because this can help strengthen the bones.

When to Call a Doctor

Angulated fractures are very easy to identify due to the extreme pain or deformity that will be noticeable after the accident. A doctor should be consulted in such situations because there are cases of angulated fracture wherein the sharp ends of the bone can pierce other tissues or organs. If not given immediate medical attention, the case can lead to internal hemorrhage and cause effects that are more drastic.