My husband had a total shoulder joint replacement. During the operation, his upper arm bone fractured. How do they take care of this?
Fractures of the bone or cracks in the joint are not uncommon during this operation. Often, older patients with arthritis who need a joint replacement also have osteoporosis. The thinning, brittle bone breaks easily.
The treatment depends on where the break occurred and how serious it is. A small crack may only need a reduced or slowed rehab program after the operation. A large break may need screws or wires to hold it together while it heals.
Sometimes, the patient must be put in a sling. Restricting motion gives the fracture a chance to heal. This is the least desired treatment because immobility causes many other problems to occur.
« Back
All content provided by eOrthopod® is a registered trademark of Mosaic Medical Group, L.L.C.. Content is the sole property of Mosaic Medical Group, LLC and used herein by permission. Alteration of these documents in any way is a violation of the copyright.