From what has been said above it will be
obvious that there is no one best method for the treatment of
fractures of the wrist. Each fracture needs to be judged upon its
merits and there may be a variety of treatment methods which are
available depending upon the type of fracture and the demands placed
upon the wrist by hand dominance, occupation or leisure interest. It
is also important to realise that each Orthopaedic surgeon will have
a method or methods of treatment which they are familiar with and
which will work for them.
If you are
unlucky enough to suffer a fracture of the wrist, the most important
thing in treatment is to find a surgeon who understands and has an
interest in wrist fractures and who takes an interest not just in
the bones or soft tissues but also in the after care and what your
demands upon the wrist are likely to be. You might consider asking
your surgeon the following:
1. |
What arrangements are there
for aftercare once the operation has been performed or the plaster removed? |
2. |
If an operation is
suggested, who is going to perform it and what is their experience with the method
suggested. |
3. |
If an operation is proposed
will it allow me to mobilise (move) the wrist more quickly than if I opt for plaster
treatment. |
4. |
What can go wrong with this
treatment method and what can be done to correct it should this happen. |