Elbow Fracture Surgery ORIF

What is Elbow Fracture Surgery ORIF

An elbow fracture is a break in a bone or bones of your elbow. Your elbow is a hinged joint that is made up of three bones.

These bones are the long bone in your upper arm (humerus), the bone in the outer part of your lower arm (radius), and the bone in the inner part of your lower arm (ulna). The tip of your elbow (olecranon) is part of your ulna.

If the fracture is displaced, that means that the bones are not lined up correctly and may be unstable. The bones will be put back into position with a procedure that is called open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF). A combination of metal pins, screws with or without a metal plate, or different types of wiring are 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.

What are the risks?

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

• Bleeding.
• Infection.
• Elbow stiffness.
• Nerve damage.
• Blood vessel damage.
• Loosening or breaking of the screws or plates that are used for internal fixation.
• Failure of the fracture to heal properly.
• Need to have surgery again.

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.
• Do notdrink alcohol before your procedure or as directed by your health care provider.
• Do notuse any tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes before the procedure or as directed by your health care provider. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider. Using tobacco products can delay or prevent bone healing.
• 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.

What happens during the procedure?

• An IV tube will be inserted into one of your veins.
• You will be given one or more of the following:
  • A medicine that helps you relax (sedative).
  • A medicine that makes you fall asleep (general anesthetic).
  • A medicine that is injected into an area of your body that numbs everything below the injection site (regional anesthetic).
• Your arm will be cleaned with a germ-killing solution (antiseptic) and covered with sterile cloths.
• Your surgeon will make an incision in your elbow over the fracture.
• The structures around your elbow will be moved aside carefully to expose your fracture.
• The bone pieces will be put back into their normal positions.
• Your surgeon may use metal screws, wires, pins, or plates to hold the bone pieces in position.
• After the bones are back in place, the incision will be closed with stitches (sutures) or staples.
• A bandage (dressing) will be placed over the incision.
• A splint may be placed on your arm.

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.
• It is normal to have pain after the procedure. You will be given medicine for pain as needed.
• You may be sent home with a sling to support your arm.

Care After Elbow Fracture Surgery 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:

• Soreness.
• Mild swelling.
• Stiffness.

Follow these instructions at home:

If you have a splint:

• Wear it as directed by your health care provider. Remove it only as directed by your health care provider.
• Loosen the splint if your fingers become numb and tingle, or if they turn cold and blue.

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 splint with a watertight plastic bag to protect it from water. Do notlet the splint get wet. If you were given a removable splint to wear, only remove it for bathing as directed by your health care provider.
• Keep the bandage (dressing) dry until your health care provider says it can be removed.

Managing pain, stiffness, and swelling

• Move your fingers often to avoid stiffness and to lessen swelling.
• Raise the injured area above the level of your heart while you are sitting or lying down.
• If directed, apply ice to the incision:
  • 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 splint on a hand 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 range-of-motion exercises only as directed by your health care provider.

Incision care

• There are many different ways to close and cover an incision, including stitches (sutures), staples, and adhesive strips. Follow instructions from your health care provider about:
  • Incision care.
  • Dressing changes and removal.
  • Incision closure removal.
• Check your incision area every day for signs of infection. Watch for:
  • Redness, swelling, or pain.
  • Fluid, blood, or pus.

General instructions

• Do notput pressure on any part of the splint until it is fully hardened. This may take several hours.
• If you were given a sling, wear it as directed by your health care provider.
• Keep the splint clean and dry.
• Do notuse any tobacco products, including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or electronic 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.
• Do notuse the injured limb to support your body weight until your health care provider says that you can.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have redness, swelling, or pain at the site of your incision.
• You have fluid, blood, or pus coming from your incision.
• You have a fever or chills.
• You notice a bad smell coming from your incision or your dressing.
• The edges of your incision break open after the sutures or staples have been removed.

Get help right away if:

• You develop a rash.
• You have difficulty breathing.
• You have numbness or tingling in your hand or forearm.