Femur Fracture Stabilization
Bone fractures are some of the most common reasons why people seek medical care. Like auto accidents, the spectrum of broken bones ranges widely in both its scope and severity. Some broken bones are more serious than others. One of the most serious is a femur fracture, which is a break of the bone that makes up the thigh. Some of the statistics that have been published by the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons regarding bone fractures include:
- On an annual basis, there are around 3.5 million visits to emergency departments for broken bones.
- Among the bone fractures that most frequently result in hospitalizations are hip fractures and broken legs.
- Close to one million people spend at least one night in the hospital for fractures.
- One of the many reasons why someone might spend time in the hospital for a broken bone is to have surgery.
It is important for everyone to understand what goes into surgery for a femur fracture. This is one aspect that was explored in a medical study that was published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Reasons for Femur Fracture Surgery
When someone has been diagnosed with a femur fracture, there are many different questions that often come to mind. One of the most common is whether or not an individual is going to require surgery. Some of the reasons why someone might need to have surgery include:
- The fracture is open and requires a reduction.
- There are other associated injuries that require repairs repair such as damage to nerves or blood vessels.
- The bone has been broken in multiple places.
- The fracture is displaced, meaning that the various segments are not in the correct location and will not heal properly.
- Blood supply to the femur itself has been disrupted and needs repair.
If someone requires surgery to repair his or her femur, one of the questions is when to have this surgical procedure performed.
Immediate Versus Delayed Surgery for a Femur Fracture
A study that was published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery addressed immediate versus delayed surgery to repair a broken femur. In this study, researchers randomized individuals to have their femur injuries repaired either immediately following the injury or several days later. The benefits of both methods include:
- By waiting to have the femur fracture repaired, the body’s inflammatory processes often subside. This means that the swelling goes down, alleviating some of the surgical obstacles.
- The sooner a fracture is repaired, the faster the recovery process can begin.
The researchers included close to 200 people over a two-year period. Some of the results from the study include:
- The complications were higher in the group that had their surgery delayed. Some of these complications include respiratory distress syndrome, fat embolism, and pneumonia.
- Hospital stays were significantly increased in those who had their surgery delayed.
- Those who waited to have their fracture repaired had higher hospital bills.
Even though there are some benefits to delaying the repair of a broken femur, it is usually better to have it repaired quickly if possible.
Watch YouTube Video: Femur Fractures & Types of Femur Bone Fracture. The animated video below explains the different types of femur fractures.
Contacting a Femur Fracture Attorney
If a loved one requires surgery for an injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident, there are many questions that need to be addressed. Unfortunately, families may not know where to look for help. Meeting with a Sacramento femur fracture lawyer can help individuals and their loved ones find answers. Some of the ways that an experienced injury attorney can help include:
- Making sure that all of the details from the accidents and its associated injuries have been considered.
- Reviewing the mechanism of the accident, making sure that it is correct.
- Negotiating with insurance companies to increase the payouts allowed under the policy.
- Taking a case to trial.
No family should ever feel like they need to face such a difficult time alone. Take some time to meet with a femur fracture attorney in Sacramento today. You could be deserving of a financial settlement.
Sacramento Femur Fracture Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a femur fracture lawyer in Sacramento. When someone requires surgery for a femur fracture, it is important to understand all of the aspects of this procedure. If you or someone you know has suffered a fracture of the femur in a major accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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Image Attribution: The image that is included at the beginning of this page is found in its original form on Pixabay. The photograph has been used on this page here with permission/
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