What a night (hospital)

[Meh]

How did it go? When I did some research on this, I did find some authors recommending what they were calling "urgent" surgery, but then they were describing complications from trying to treat patients with casting for weeks rather than splinting with the expectation of being seen by ortho in a few days.

This is a pretty rare fracture and the ER doc may never have even seen one before. Unfortunately, it seems like he fell back on the usual splint and referral rather than talking to the ortho on call (although the splint in that position for such a fracture seems like a bad idea to me). ER docs are often afraid of looking like a dumbass in front of orthos for some reason. I only worked ER as a student and intern, so I had no problem calling the orthos since they didn't expect me not to be a dumbass.

When I broke my ankle last year, I had to tell the ER doc that a second set of x-rays was needed since the first set wasn't enough to see all of the likely fractures. Then they sent me home with a splint immobilizing both the ankle and the knee when only the ankle needed to be splinted. It's not easy getting in and out of cars when you can't bend your knee. Then I argued with one doc at the ortho clinic about the diagnosis. When I proved him wrong, he said he wanted to discuss it with an ortho that helps him with ankle reconstructions. She called me the next day, confirmed the diagnosis, and it was obvious that she knew what she was doing. It's hard enough for me to get good care, so I feel especially bad for patients when they try to wade through the bad docs and/or fragile egos just trying to get fixed up.

Best of luck to your mom. Please keep me posted on her progress.

[xXBUDXx]

Prayers for Mom

[Aerovette]

Meh,

This fracture was so wide open that as a beak, the bird would have been dead. It was opened well beyond 90 degrees. There is no splint known to man that would help that. I'm no doctor, but I understand geometry, force, resistance, etc. With the Achilles attached, there was no possible way for that bone to wander back into position. Secondly, they pulled her toes toward her knee when they made the splint which makes the situation worse. The Ortho has her toes pointing away so there is zero tension on the Achilles. TShe has two screws in her heel holding it together. The surgery went well and the doctor just left her room and said she would probably go home tomorrow. The bone is of little concern to him. It is the tissue damage that he is very closely monitoring. Lots of antibiotics to keep infection away.

[simpleman68]

Get well soon Mama Aero.
Scott

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by simpleman68

Get well soon Mama Aero.
Scott

Mama Aero is a pretty tough gal. She hasn't hit her med button one time.

[Meh]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Meh,

This fracture was so wide open that as a beak, the bird would have been dead. It was opened well beyond 90 degrees. There is no splint known to man that would help that. I'm no doctor, but I understand geometry, force, resistance, etc. With the Achilles attached, there was no possible way for that bone to wander back into position. Secondly, they pulled her toes toward her knee when they made the splint which makes the situation worse. The Ortho has her toes pointing away so there is zero tension on the Achilles. TShe has two screws in her heel holding it together. The surgery went well and the doctor just left her room and said she would probably go home tomorrow. The bone is of little concern to him. It is the tissue damage that he is very closely monitoring. Lots of antibiotics to keep infection away.

Yeah, there is no way that fracture is reducing on its own. The idea of a splint in the ER is to keep it from getting worse until the patient can be seen by ortho. They usually try to put you into a neutral position, but it should be pretty obvious in this type of situation that that is not practical. I just can't fathom why somebody would do it that way. If you can't reduce it, you can just splint it as is and not risk more damage.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Mama Aero is a pretty tough gal. She hasn't hit her med button one time.

Trust me, they are still charging her for the morphine even if she doesn't use it. Hoping she recovers quickly and fully.

[onedef92]

Prayers for your Mom. I just came off an eight-day marathon of hospital visits with my wife, Theresa, and she has another round of chemo scheduled Friday morning at 10 a.m.

[Aerovette]

Originally Posted by onedef92

Prayers for your Mom. I just came off an eight-day marathon of hospital visits with my wife, Theresa, and she has another round of chemo scheduled Friday morning at 10 a.m.

I heard, and I feel guilty discussing my mom's issues when you certainly realize things could be a lot worse. I despise cancer and if there is anywhere that the insane amounts of money medical companies make should be focused, it should be on cancer.

[simpleman68]

Originally Posted by aerovette

Mama Aero is a pretty tough gal. She hasn't hit her med button one time.

Not me brutha. That were my foot....