Hand and Wrist Fracture

If your broken bone is still aligned well, a cast or splint can hold it in position until it heals. The type of cast, splint, or brace will be tailored to your injury and condition.

If your broken bone is out of place, the fragments can sometimes be realigned with without surgery. Typically, you will receive medication to block pain during the procedure. Sometimes, a sedative or general anesthesia may be used. In most cases, X-rays taken during the procedure ensure the best-possible outcome. After closed reduction, you will wear a cast, splint, or brace to keep the bone aligned until it heals.

Our hand therapists are occupational therapists with advanced training in hand, wrist, and elbow care. They provide personalized therapy to help you regain function as soon as possible. Occupational therapy may be recommended even if you do not have surgery to help you recover from your fracture. 

For an open fracture -- when bone pierces the skin -- the skin is opened so your surgeon can view the fracture and precisely realign the bones. Soft tissue is cleaned and repaired to prevent infection.

Pins, plates, rods, or other devices may be implanted to hold bone fragments together and in alignment. In many cases, this may allow for an earlier return to normal activities. Internal fixation means that the implanted device rests under the skin and can only be seen with imaging such as MRIs or CT scans.

For some severe fractures, a stabilizing device outside the body is used to hold the bones together as they heal. This metal and carbon fiber frame is attached to the bone with two or more pins that pass through the skin. It may be used along with internal fixation. This is a temporary device that is removed once the bone heals. 

Some fractures heal better when new bone is grafted to the site of the break. The graft may be an autograft taken from your arm, leg, hip, or another bone in your body, or it may come in sterilized form from another person who has donated it (allograft). Some grafts are completely synthetic and are made in a lab. Grafts can stimulate new bone to form at the fracture site and promote healing.