Displaced Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture Treated With ORIF

What is Displaced Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture Treated With ORIF

A bimalleolar fracture is two breaks (fractures) in the lower bones of the leg that help to make up the ankle. These fractures are in the far ends of the bone that you feel as the bump on the outside of the ankle (fibula) and the bone that you feel as the bump on the inside of the ankle (tibia).

The fracture is displaced. This means that the bones are not lined up correctly. The bones will be put back into position with a procedure that is called open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF). A combination of screws, screws and a metal plate, or different types of wiring will be used to hold the bones in place.

Tell a health care provider about:

• Any allergies you have.
• All medicines you are taking, including vitamins, herbs, eye drops, creams, and over-the-counter medicines.
• Any problems you or family members have had with anesthetic medicines.
• Any blood disorders you have.
• Any surgeries you have had.
• Any medical conditions you have, including the possibility of pregnancy.

What are the risks?

Generally, this is a safe procedure. However, problems may occur, including:

• Excessive bleeding.
• Infection.
• Failure of the fracture to heal.
• Long-term pain and stiffness (arthritis).
• Stiffness of the ankle after the repair.

What happens before the procedure?

• Ask your health care provider about:
  • Changing or stopping your regular medicines. This is especially important if you are taking diabetes medicines or blood thinners.
  • Taking medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen. These medicines can thin your blood.Do nottake these medicines before your procedure if your health care provider instructs you not to.
• Follow instructions from your health care provider about eating or drinking restrictions.
• Plan to have someone take you home after the procedure.
• If you go home right after the procedure, plan to have someone with you for 24 hours.
• Ask your health care provider how your surgical site will be marked or identified.
• You may be given antibiotic medicine to help prevent infection.

What happens during the procedure?

• To reduce your risk of infection:
  • Your health care team will wash or sanitize their hands.
  • Your skin will be washed with soap.
• An IV tube will be inserted into one of your veins. Medicine will flow directly into your body through this tube. You may be given antibiotic medicine and medicine for pain through the IV tube.
• You will be given one or more of the following:
  • A medicine that numbs the area (local anesthetic).
  • A medicine that makes you fall asleep (general anesthetic).
  • A medicine that is injected into your spine that numbs the area below and slightly above the injection site (spinal anesthetic).
  • A medicine that is injected into an area of your body that numbs everything below the injection site (regional anesthetic).
• The surgeon will make an incision through your skin to expose the areas of the fracture.
• The broken bones will be put back into their normal positions. The surgeon will use a combination of screws, screws and a metal plate, or different types of wiring to hold the bones in place.
• After the bones are back in place, the surgeon will close the incision using stitches (sutures) or staples.
• A bandage (dressing) and a cast, splint, or supportive boot will be placed over your ankle.

The procedure may vary among health care providers and hospitals.

What happens after the procedure?

• Your blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and blood oxygen level will be monitored often until the medicines you were given have worn off.
• You may be given medicine to control the pain.

Care After Displaced Bimalleolar Ankle Fracture Treated With ORIF

Refer to this sheet in the next few weeks. These instructions provide you with information about caring for yourself after your procedure. Your health care provider may also give you more specific instructions. Your treatment has been planned according to current medical practices, but problems sometimes occur. Call your health care provider if you have any problems or questions after your procedure.

What can I expect after the procedure?

After the procedure, it is common to have:

• Pain.
• Swelling.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a cast:

• Do notstick anything inside the cast to scratch your skin. Doing that increases your risk of infection.
• Check the skin around the cast every day. Report any concerns to your health care provider. You may put lotion on dry skin around the edges of the cast. Do notapply lotion to the skin underneath the cast.
• Do notput pressure on any part of the cast until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Keep the cast clean and dry.

If you have a splint or boot:

• Wear it as directed by your health care provider. Remove it only as directed by your health care provider.
• Loosen the splint or boot if your toes become numb and tingle, or if they turn cold and blue.
• Do notpressure on any part of the splint or boot until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• Keep the splint or boot clean and dry.

Bathing

• Do nottake baths, swim, or use a hot tub until your health care provider approves. Ask your health care provider if you can take showers. You may only be allowed to take sponge baths for bathing.
• If your health care provider approves bathing and showering, cover the cast or splint with a watertight plastic bag to protect it from water. Do notlet the cast or splint get wet.
• Keep the bandage (dressing) dry until your health care provider says it can be removed.

Incision care

• There are many ways to close and cover an incision. For example, an incision can be closed with stitches (sutures), skin glue, or adhesive strips. Follow instructions from your health care provider about:
  • How to take care of your incision.
  • When and how you should change your bandage (dressing).
  • When you should remove your dressing.
  • Removing whatever was used to close your incision.
• Check your incision area every day for signs of infection. Watch for:
  • Redness, swelling, or pain.
  • Fluid, blood, or pus.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• Move your toes often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Raise (elevate) the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.
• If directed, apply ice to the injured area (if you have a splint or a boot, not a cast).
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times per day.

Driving

• Do notdrive or operate heavy machinery while taking pain medicine.
• Do notdrive while wearing a cast, splint, or boot on a foot that you use for driving.

Activity

• Return to your normal activities as directed by your health care provider. Ask your health care provider what activities are safe for you.
• Perform exercises daily as directed by your health care provider or physical therapist.

Safety

• Do notwalk on the injured ankle and do notuse it to support your body weight until your health care provider says that you can. Follow these instructions exactly to prevent problems. Use crutches or other supportive devices as directed by your health care provider.

General instructions

• Do notuse any tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes. Tobacco can delay bone healing. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
• Take medicines only as directed by your health care provider.
• Keep all follow-up visits as directed by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have a fever.
• Your pain medicine is not helping.
• You have redness, swelling, or pain at the site of your incision.
• You have fluid, blood, or pus coming from your incision or seeping through your cast.
• You notice a bad smell coming from your incision or your dressing.

Get help right away if:

• You have chest pain.
• You have difficulty breathing.
• You have numbness or tingling in your foot or leg.
• Your foot becomes cold, pale, or blue.