A splint or sling is used to hold the elbow in place during the healing process. The doctor will closely monitor the healing of the fracture and have you frequently return to clinic for X-rays.
If the fracture is not displaced out of place , you may be allowed to start gently moving the elbow with the assistance of a physical therapist after a few weeks.
Weight lifting and bearing will not be allowed for several weeks. Because of the prolonged splinting time, the elbow may become very stiff and require a longer period of therapy after the cast is removed to regain motion. For this reason, nonsurgical treatment is rarely recommended.
If the fracture is displaced or the fracture is open bone is exposed through the skin , surgery is usually necessary. Surgery is often performed through an incision over the back of the elbow that allows full access to the fractures. There are some obvious signs of an elbow has been fractured. The first sign is if there is noticeable swelling and bruising around the elbow.
The swelling would be prominent over the tip or on the back of the elbow. Bruising can reach all the way up on the arm towards the shoulders or all the way down the forearm heading towards the wrists.
The second sign of a fractured elbow is that it feels tender, painful, or numb to the touch. The elbow may feel tight and stiff. It would be difficult to extend or rotate the elbow. The third sign that the elbow is fractured is that the injured area may appear deformed or misshaped. If bone pieces are protruding and break the skin, it is a serious fracture and needs to be treated immediately.
An elbow fracture is not an injury that can be treated at home. It should be treated in a medical setting by a healthcare professional. A doctor can assess the injured elbow by using an X-Ray machine, a CT scanner, or an MRI machine to get a more detailed look at the targeted area. In this procedure, the pieces of bones are held together with screws, wires, pins, or metal plates called tension band.
This technique is similar to the tension band fixation. Used for repairing simple transverse and oblique fractures. This procedure is used for repairing comminuted elbow fractures, Monteggia fractures, fracture-dislocations, and oblique fractures. This procedure provides more stability to the bones than the tension band. This surgical treatment is recommended for older patients with osteoporotic bone.
In this technique, the triceps tendon is reattached with nonabsorbable sutures passed through drill holes in the ulna. Bone grafts are used when bone fragments are not fully recovered. A bone graft can be obtained from the patient e. Artificial biocompatible materials can also be used to repair the fracture. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are advised to facilitate recovery and improve range of motion, and hand use.
Exercise therapists can help patients strengthen the muscles of the elbow and forearm, and also decrease stiffness at the joint. Patients should avoid lifting, pushing or pulling heavy objects with the affected arm if surgery is performed until the arm has recovered well usually about six weeks after surgery. Knight is a renowned hand, wrist and upper extremity surgeon with over 25 years of experience. New patients can schedule an appointment online and fill out your patient information to save time.
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