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Fixing
wrist fractures without a cast
Newswise — It is prime season for wrist fractures. Ice and
snow covered streets are the main culprits
as victims instinctively reach out their
hands to break a fall.
According to Mark Cohen, an orthopedic surgeon at Rush
University Medical Center who specializes in
hand, wrist and elbow surgery, it is not
unusual for him to treat three or four
broken wrists a week in the winter, and
often more than four in a single day after
an ice storm.
Fortunately, advancements in technology and new techniques
are allowing wrist fracture patients to get
back in the swing of things faster than ever
before, and in many cases they can resume
their normal day to day activities even
while their fractures are healing.
In the past, it was not unusual for a patient with a broken
wrist to wear a cast for six to eight weeks
or even worse, an external metal frame
drilled into the hand and forearm bones.
Today, broken wrists can not only be fixed
through minimally invasive surgical
techniques but patients can typically use
their hand and wrist within days of the
fracture.
This evolution of care is thanks to smaller implants known as
locking plates. Newer plates designed
specifically for the wrist eliminate the
need for larger incisions and allow early
return to function.
“The new plates are much more stable than older models. The
screws holding the plate to the bone now
lock into the plate creating a strong bond
to hold the bone in place,” said Cohen .
These newer smaller plates, one of which Cohen has helped
develop, allow surgeons to make a much
smaller incision, less than 2 ½ inches long,
on the palm side of the wrist. Patients wear
a dressing to keep the wound clean and a
splint for three to five days. Therapy
begins just days after the surgery.
“It used to take six to nine months to fully recover from a
fractured wrist. With this new plate
technology, smaller incisions, and early
rehabilitation, some patients tell me they
feel normal within two months,” said Cohen.
“In the past a wrist fracture was a terrible inconvenience.
Patients had to wear a restrictive cast or
external frame for six to eight weeks. They
couldn’t write, type, drive, or even
shower,” said Cohen. “With the new plating
systems, patients are starting therapy
within days of the surgery and most return
to work within a week.”
Broken wrists are more common in women than men. The
incidence increases rapidly after menopause
with the highest percentage of wrist
fractures in women between the ages of 60 to
69 years. Osteoporosis, or age related bone
loss, is mostly to blame.
Cohen says the best prevention is eating right, exercise, and
vitamin and mineral supplements to stave off
osteoporosis; and of course using extra
caution when navigating through icy streets
and sidewalks.
Rush University Medical Center offers the only dedicated
center for hand, elbow and shoulder care in
Illinois.
The center’s team of experts includes surgeons with extensive
experience in microsurgery and
reconstructive surgery, as well as
occupational therapists and physical
therapists specializing in rehabilitation of
the hand and upper extremities. Ranked
eighth in the country by U.S.News & World
Report, the orthopedics program at Rush is a
leader in research and new therapies that
benefit patient today.
