This blogpost represents a continuation of an earlier post, entitled (not surprisingly) "Funny Bones, fragment #1". Click HERE to review that background information.
Authors' Note: Modern orthopedic treatment of displaced limb fractures often attains the aims of stability and appropriate alignment through the surgical technique of internal fixation. Injured limbs have then undergone the dual trauma of both the original injury and the surgical correction. But, with all the parts back in place and correctly aligned, the patient can work with a physiotherapist to regain range-of-motion, muscle agility and strength.
Authors' Note: Stress fractures are injuries caused by repeated undue physical stress applied to normal bone. These injuries, sometimes called march fractures, are common in the midshafts of the bones of the forefoot, particularly metatarsals #2 through #4. They characteristically occur in military recruits and in athletic individuals with heavy training schedules, but also may show up in otherwise unremarkable individuals who have recently increased their level of physical activity. Fortunately, healing is usual in those prepared to reduce activities for a number of weeks.
To read more about this important topic, check the online medical periodical Bone Bloggers: Opinion by Orthopedic Surgeons.
Authors' Note: In fact, Syd has the right idea. Current therapy for the Jones fracture (which occurs due to repeated twisting stress in dancers and tennis or basketball players) includes surgical placement of a screw that binds the two fragments, to eliminate the possibility of bone non-union that complicated earlier forms of treatment. In cases where surgery is not selected, treatment usually consists of an external cast and avoidance of weight-bearing for six weeks.
Authors' Note:
crank: an unpleasant person who has difficulty with anger control
ORIF: acronym for surgical intervention for bone fractures — open reduction, internal fixation
plain films: medical jargon for two-dimensional x-ray studies, as opposed to CT, although digital media, not 'film' emulsion, are now generally used to analyze and record the images
With these injuries that involve one or more fractures, metatarsal bones of the lower foot are dissociated from the tarsus, making the mid-foot unstable. They were first observed in cavalry men during the Napoleonic Wars and later described by a French surgeon, Jacques Lisfranc de St-Martin. In English medical jargon they are known as Lisfranc (LIZ-frank or liz-FRANK) fractures. Self-diagnosis of this type of injury by a patient would be an unusual event
Authors' Note:
post op: medical jargon for 'post-operative' or 'post-operatively’.
Costs incurred by surgical care in the United States can be devastating. It is, however, unusual for bankers to be consulted directly re the affordability of urgent surgical procedures.
Multiple pelvic fractures involving the sacrum and/or pubic rami may accompany major trauma to the lower trunk. These can often be managed conservatively, but instability may mandate surgical fixation.
final approval #120852, May 2023
Authors' Note: Owing to impairment of blood flow, fracture of the femoral neck, a risk for active seniors, may result in the subsequent need for hip replacement. The most common cause for hip-joint replacement, however, remains osteoarthritis.
Authors' Note: The femoral head is the proximal portion of the femur (thigh bone) within the capsule of the hip joint. The blood supply to this area is fragile, and its blockage, presumably due to a variety of disease processes (often poorly understood or not obvious), can result in death of bone cells and collapse of this weight-bearing structure. Replacement of the hip joint may eventually be needed.
Orthopedic surgeons (surgical bone specialists), known in medical jargon as orthopods, are involved in monitoring and treating the condition.
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Authors' Note:
Osteopenia (ost-ee-oh-PEE-nee-yah), or reduced bone mass as suggested on regular x-ray studies, is a 'washed out' appearance raising the question of whether the patient has osteoporosis, a significant loss of bone mineral resulting in increased fracture risk. The word break in osteopenia (osteo, Latin root for ‘bone’) at the end of the first line is a reminder of its association with fracture. The DEXA test evaluates the mass of bone reproducibly, and, in the context of age and gender, helps decide on the necessity of drug treatment to prevent 'fragility fractures'.
You can read more about the DEXA test for bone mineral density (BMD) HERE.
Author's Note: Hip replacement has become a surgical procedure that is frequently performed in humans, and is making inroads into veterinary practice in dogs and cats. Its role in jungle creatures and zoo inhabitants remains to be developed, parenthetically
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