Posts Tagged ‘Open Reduction Internal Fixation’

Auto accidents, especially when speed is involved, can cause serious orthopedic injuries and fractures. Comminuted fractures are serious injuries to a bone where the bone is crushed,  splintered, or broken into three or more pieces. Comminuted fractures can be complicated to repair, and can be very painful. The site around the fracture will frequently be swollen and weight bearing will be painful or impossible. . Repair of a comminuted surgery may require a combination of pins, plates,  and screws. When our clients have experienced a comminuted fracture, we contact their physician early and closely track their recovery and rehabilitation. We have represented dozens of people with these kinds of injuries and know that early action is critical in order to make a fair settlement.

Auto accidents can cause fractures to the legs and arms when there are significant forces or the car rolls over. When people have seriously broken bones, orthopedic surgeons perform a procedure that shows up on a surgical note as “ORIF”. We often see victims of serious car and truck accidents who have had this procedure, but victims of motorcycle accidents are probably most at risk for this kind of serious injury. This procedure may be done when there is a fracture to the hip, ankle, wrist, the  femur, or either of the bones in the lower leg (the tibia and fibula).  To repair the fracture, the doctor surgically “opens” the area where the bone(s) is broken and then realigns the bone(s) so they are back in their natural position. This part of the procedure is called the “Open Reduction”.  The next step is for the surgeon to use the appropriate plates, rods, pins, nails, and screws to mend the broken bone together until it heals. This is the “internal fixation”. The surgeon than stitches close the opening, and hopefully the fracture will mend. There is a risk of blood clots, infection, and the failure of the broken bone to heal or fuse. When someone has an ORIF procedure, they have had a serious injury involving tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, lost work, and permanent impairment. The best that can happen is the regain the use of the injured arm, leg, etc. They will never be the same person. Our clients who have had ORIF procedures count on us to know understand their injuries and be able to ask their doctors the right questions. That’s our job. For a medical paper that reviews ORIF procedure and has x-rays of what the joints look like afterwards, click here.