Wednesday, November 16, 2011

External Fixator: IN - Internal Fixating Plate: OUT

Well, it's in/on, whichever way you want to look at it:

External fixator on a fractured humerus


Last week I travelled to St Thomas' Hospital in London to have my infected non-union treated and operated on first thing on Tuesday morning. As my previous post detailed, this was meant to be a pretty hefty bit of surgery, removing my plate, debridement of the fracture site (which I learnt meant trimming the bone down on each side and re-setting it, which would result in a shorter arm!) and application of an external fixator as modelled above by yours truly.

The good news I was given on the Wednesday morning during my surgeon's rounds was that the situation inside my arm was not as bad as originally anticipated. Usually, according to him, you see tracks of infection leading into the bone where the infection has taken hold... which weren't present. The bone that had started to grow to try and unite the fracture was actually in very good condition and looked healthy. For these reasons, they removed some bad scar tissue and infected tissue, took out my plate and screws and stitched me back up... no debridement! No short t-rex arm! They then made the four incisions for my four lovely pins and bolted my arm together to stabilise the fracture... job done.

I was discharged later that afternoon (not every 36 hours after the surgery started!) with a plethora of anti-inflammatories, painkillers and antibiotics... which, following the swabs which were taken on Monday, are the wrong type for the small infection I do have in the tissue of my arm (the bacteria is resistant to co-amoxiclav, apparently) so they just moved me onto Ciprofloxacin (try saying that five times quickly whilst pissed, I dare you!) to clear that up.

All in all, I'm hoping this is the final straight home!
Posted by Andy at 3:40 PM

9 comments:

  1. LeonardoAugust 27, 2012 at 5:52 AM

    I have an broken humerus, and I have a non union. Please tell me if the external fixator have worked for you.
    Please help me. You can contact me by email: leonardo@jnds.com.br

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 15, 2013 at 7:23 AM

    I have a broken humerus also. I only spent two weeks in the "clam shell" torture devise, until I could get a second opinion. The new surgeon told me that with a strait across fracture like I had, it would not heal. I had surgery 3 weeks ago for the titanium plate. I wont see the doc again for 3 more weeks, but am terrified it wont heal. How is yours doing now?

    ReplyDelete
  3. LifeofWooMay 13, 2013 at 11:46 AM

    ive got a broken humerus to, ive got a mid shaft spiral fracture. i broke it on the 15th of december, ive been in a brace since then, its now 13th may, they assured me it was healing and sent me off to physiotherapy to do oh so very painful excercises, only to realise about a month later that actually yhey were wrong , my arm isnt healed, and now 6 months down the line i have to have a plate put in my arm, however ive been told theres a waiting list and i have to wait another month.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CeylanJune 14, 2014 at 1:06 PM

      I had midshaft fracture too.I am in fifth months still wearing brace.I startted to PT last week.My PT opinion I am on good way , my contractures giving good results to therapy.But i am frightening not to be as good as older.How is yours?Are you ok?

      Delete
  4. GlendaJuly 4, 2013 at 7:09 AM

    hi Andy

    I've just read your entire blog as a friend has a non union fracture too. I'm now left feeling very concerned for you as your blog just stops and I'd really love to know what happened. I hope the surgery worked and you're now just too busy having a normal life, but any chance you could do a quick update?

    Wishing you all the best,
    Glenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AndyAugust 22, 2014 at 12:26 PM

      Hi Glenda,

      Thanks for your message. You were right, the fixator came out and I got back to life as normal, completely forgot about this blog until I just got three notifications about some spammer leaving medical insurance spam all over it.

      I will try and get some time and write a new post with an update. I hope your friend's arm healed without too much bother.

      Thanks again

      Andy

      Delete
  5. JewbixCubeSeptember 11, 2013 at 2:52 AM

    I second the above post. What happened? Broke my humerus a few nights ago and getting a rod put in tomorow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AndyAugust 22, 2014 at 12:24 PM

      Hi Alex,

      Sorry I didn't reply for nearly a year, I completely forgot about this blog if I'm honest.

      The external fixator worked. Took a long time but it worked and I now have 100% use of my arm again. I have a lot of discomfort at times when the weather is humid, but other than that, I have no metal in me any more and have just about full range again.

      Thanks for your message. Hope your surgery went well and you're now fully healed.

      All the best

      Andy

      Delete
  6. UnknownSeptember 28, 2019 at 10:21 AM

    How much cost us it's reaper

    ReplyDelete

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