Surgery

What does this mean?
Surgery lines up the bone and holds it in place with a metal plate and screws or rod (figures). Both surgeries work equally well. Discuss with your doctor which surgery is best for you.

Figure: surgery with plate and screws.

Figure: surgery with a rod.

Results
96 out of 100 fractures will heal with surgery.³

Advantages

• Surgery can avoid a bend in the bone.
• You can start using your arm as soon as you're comfortable, but it can take a week or so to get moving well.
• No need to wear a brace.

Disadvantages

• A scar.
• The discomforts and inconveniences of a surgery.
• Every surgery has risks. We call this a complication. 16 out of 100 people will get a complication and 12 out of 100 people will need additional surgery for this:
• 8 out of 100 fractures don't heal well.
  
  
• 4 out of 100 people get an infection of the wound.
  
  
• In 4 out of 100 people a nerve gets damaged. Usually this limits opening of the hand and it's usually temporary. Sometimes people have permanent damage.