Open thigh/leg/foot/lower extremity fracture surgery is done either as an outpatient
or as an overnight stay procedure. Prior to surgery you will be asked to see your
primary care doctor for “medical clearance”. They may check blood tests, EKG, and
a chest x-ray in addition to other tests they find indicated.
Once surgery is scheduled, the hospital or surgery center will contact you ahead
of time to provide specific details about your procedure. Please make sure to ask
any questions you have and follow the instructions on when to arrive and especially
on when to stop eating or drinking prior to surgery.
On the day of surgery, the anesthesia staff will talk with you about anesthesia
options. You will be asleep for the procedure and often a regional nerve block is
recommended to numb the lower extremity for pain relief.
Once in the operating room, you will be positioned so that a clear view of the fracture.
A member of the surgical team will clean the skin over the fracture site with an
antiseptic solution and a sterile drape will cover your lower extremity. Typically
the incision is made over the fracture or area of reconstruction. Most fractures
are treated with placement of plates and screws on the bone after alignment is restored.
Some hand fractures are fixed with small pins underneath or through the skin. Flexible
rods may be used in children once alignment is restored. At the end of surgery the
incision is closed with stitches and covered them with a large, soft bandage.
Postoperatively you will stay in the recovery room for 1 to 2 hours before being
discharged home or to the hospital floor. Nurses will monitor your responsiveness
and provide pain medication, if needed. You will need someone to drive you home
and stay with you for at least the first night if you go home.
Recovery from lower extremity fracture surgery depends on the procedure performed
but takes several weeks and a few months before full recovery. Physical therapy
will play a vital role after surgery in regaining strength and motion.