Spiral Fracture Treatment | Spiral Bone Fracture Surgery

Spiral fractures are types of bone fractures caused by twisting force to the bone. These are also referred to as torsion fractures because there is strong impact involved that creates the twisting of the bone and cause spiral fracture. Usually the shape of the break here is helical which makes spiral fractures difficult to treat. Sometimes it would take months before the cast is removed and would require surgery to correct the fracture depending on the area where the break took place.

Types of Spiral fractures

There are only a few types of spiral fractures because what are mostly involved here are bones that are slender and long, so usually the bones in the legs and arms are the ones that can sustain spiral fractures. Here are their types and descriptions:

• Metacarpal spiral fracture involves the twisting break in the bones of the hands which can be sustained during accidents, fall or extreme sports.

• Metatarsal spiral fracture is the breakage of the metatarsal bones in the foot or the foot fingers, which can also be the result of accidents, fall, or extreme sprain in the foot.

• Tibial spiral fractures are caused due to the sudden twisting of the upper body, which breaks the bones in the limbs, particularly the tibia. This fracture can result from accidents such as car and motorcycle accidents and fall.

• Femur Spiral fractures are caused by the sudden twisting of the upper body that breaks the thighbone in twisted motion. It can also be the result of car accident, fall from the motorcycle, sports like gymnastics, mountain climbing and so on. Spiral fracture of humerus is also common.

Diagnosis

Doctors diagnose spiral fracture by taking physical examinations first and then an x-ray to the site of the injury so that they can verify their theories about the fracture. The x-rays will show the real issue of the fractured bone. If there are fragmented bones, other equipment will be used for diagnosis such as the CT scanner or the MRI device to check on the condition of the bone that can possibly damage the nerves that are attached to the bone.

Causes

The classic incidents of spiral fractures are common during skiing accidents. As you can see, the legs of the skiers are tied to their ski boots and then the ski boots are secured into the skis. When the skier loses control and the ski twists and rotates, the motion will bring about sudden twisting motion to the leg in one direction, which will create spiral fracture to the bone. The same thing goes for motorcycle crashes when the leg is trapped in the machine while the machine skids into the runway twisting the leg and breaking the bones in spiral motion.

Symptoms

Since spiral fractures usually occur in the leg and the arm, symptoms can include:

• Severe pain in the injured area

• Deformed arm or leg

• Broken shin bone when it happens on the lower leg

• Swelling

Spiral Fracture Treatment

When you see someone has a twisted arm or leg, bring the person immediately to the hospital because there could be severe damage to the bone, even the nerves that travel down to their limbs can be compromised. The x-rays will reveal what kind of fractures the patient sustained. If there is really spiral fracture most probably the patient may undergo surgery because spiral fractures usually have bone splinters in them. Usually pins and inserting metal rod into the bone is the best option to join the bones together. If there are no fragments or splinters on the fracture then realigning the bone and casting it can be the best treatment. The healing process for spiral fracture of humerus must be started immediately.

Prevention

You can always prevent bone fractures from happening if you would not involve yourself with extreme sports. If you cannot avoid participating in activities that can put you at risk of having bone fractures then at least try to master those activities so that your body can balance itself during accidents and prevent twisting your limbs that can cause you spiral fractures.

When to Call A Doctor

Spiral fractures are painful type of fractures so if you see someone who is deeply in pain and holding his twisted leg or arm, bring the person immediately to the hospital. A severely twisted arm or leg usually means damaged ligaments and tendons as well so there is the risk that even the crucial nerves may also be damaged.