If I have a fracture treated with implanted metal hardware does it have to come out at some point?
No, no necessarily. Most orthopaedic hardware is meant to stay in for life, however, at times hardware is only temporary and sometimes hardware is removed if it is prominent or causes other symptoms.
What is an open or compound fracture?
An open fracture occurs when the soft tissues around the bone are violated and there is many times direct exposure of bone to the environment. This is a serious condition for many reasons. First of all, there is a high likelihood if not treated correctly that infection can occur. A deep bone infection is one of the most serious infections we deal with. This is called osteomyelitis or chronic bone infection. A second problem with open fractures is delayed healing or non union. This occurs when the fracture does not heal in a timely fashion or does not heal at all.
Do all fractures have to be set?
No. Nondisplaced fractures do not require manipulation. However many times when a fracture is displaced in order to prevent mal union and loss of function and pain, manipulation of the fracture into a better alignment is necessary.
What is fracture care and global period?
Fracture care includes the initial evaluation of the patient with a fracture with or without manipulation of the fracture, mobilization of the fracture with a cast or splint and all physician visits during the subsequent 90 days global. During the global period no additional charges are incurred by the patient except those related to casting materials and x-rays.
