Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Non-union of my fractured humerus

To be approaching the end of the fifth month after having broken your humerus (following two operations that required general anaesthetic and overnight stays, some day surgery to remove some internal stitches - agonisingly painful without any anaesthetic at all, various trips to physiotherapists and occupational therapists, plastic braces, 6 screws, a titanium plate and more painkillers and medication than you can shake a stick at) and be informed that you have a non-union of your humerus fracture and the metal might need to come out, is pretty soul destroying... Today has been a shit day, summarised below:

Non Union of a Humerus Fracture

When the first words out of your surgeon's mouth after seeing your latest xray are, and I quote: "ohh, shit", you know it's going to be a pretty bad day, especially considering I was only meant to be having the last of my stitches out today. If we take the xrays I had taken on the 27th of July:




with today's:



we can see what the surgeon referred to as non-union and collapse of the fracture site. He quickly gets another surgeon and colleague of his in to take a look and the general consensus reviewing all xrays is that I either have an infection in the bone or my body is rejecting the screws/plate... either way, not good and in all likelyhood the metal is going to have to be removed in a third surgery and I'm going to be back to square one.

For now, I am back in a humerus brace to stabilise the fracture whilst my notes and xrays are sent to a specialist in non-union of fractures in the UK for him to review... great.

Posted by Andy at 2:20 PM

4 comments:

  1. AnnuBa63June 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM

    I am in the same position after two and a half years and two surgeries!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AndyJune 13, 2012 at 10:43 AM

      It took me just over a year and eventually an external fixator (http://neverfractureyourhumerus.blogspot.com/2011/11/humerus-external-fixator.html) had to be put in for the final 6 months of recovery.

      I don't know the extent of your injury or what treatments you've had so far, but happy to discuss it more with you :)

      Delete
    2. UnknownJune 21, 2017 at 6:11 PM

      Hi
      I have a persisting non union case
      Any advice on what to do
      What not to do
      As well as recommended specialists would help

      Thanks

      Delete
  2. Parasar BhattacharyaAugust 25, 2013 at 3:42 AM

    same with me after 8 months my bone has not joined and also the first upper screw has come out and half of the second screw has come out. even my bone has bended from the fracture part, if you have any knowledge how to recover from it plz tell me at 9830031680, my operation was done in a govt hospital whose name is PG hospital the worst Sergent i hav ever seen

    ReplyDelete

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