Missed Bone Fractures
Failing to diagnose bone fractures is
fairly common as Accident and Emergency Departments become
increasingly busier places. A failure to diagnose a fracture
will normally result in very little harm but certain types of
fractures, such as Scaphoid fractures, may result in further
complications. Missing or misdiagnosis of such fractures may
result in complicated surgery to resolve the problem. This may
mean you are able to make a medical negligence claim.
Negligent
Health Workers
Most fractures are diagnosed by the
health care professional straight away but there are times when
the normal symptoms are not present. Unfortunately this might
result in a late or wrong diagnosis. Most broken bones are found
following an examination and X-ray. The hospital may have been
negligent if they did not carry out an X-ray.
Bone Fractures
in Children
Bone fractures in children tend to be
different to those in adults because bone is softer and more
able to bend. When fractures do occur, the bone is not always
broken completely. The bone can buckle and split and can result
in what is known as a 'greenstick fracture'. It is important
that doctors and nurses take extra care, when examining children
Treatment
If you have had a serious accident,
medical professionals will treat your circulation (blood flow),
breathing and other injuries before they treat any fractures.
Fractures are then usually treated in the following way.
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If necessary, the broken bone will
be re-aligned. This may be done using an anaesthetic or
painkiller, and is known as reducing the fracture.
-
The broken bone will be immobilised
either using a cast, splint or sling, or with surgery. Casts
can be made from plaster, plastic or resin.
-
You may need to have surgery if the
broken ends of your bone can't be kept close enough to allow
them to knit together. Surgeons use surgical steel screws,
wires, rods, pins or plates to hold the broken pieces of
bone together.
Recovery
The repair of a fracture by the body is
a gradual process. Fractures in children usually heal quickly.
The speed of recovery also depends on the bone you break. It
will take longer for fractures in lower limbs, such as the
thighbone, to recover than those in smaller bones, such as the
finger bones. This is because the thighbone is larger and more
difficult to immobilise. After the fracture has healed you may
need to have physiotherapy to increase your movement of
the affected area. This will be specific to your injury.
Ultrasound or pulsed electromagnetic
energy may be used for fractures that are not healing or are
healing slowly.
If you have suffered a fracture through
no fault of your own then you may be able to make a personal
injury claim. For more information on this please visit
www.accidentcompensation.com
If a fracture has been missed, which has
caused additional complications, contact us today to find out if
you are able to make a medical negligence claim.
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