Common Complications of a Fractured Femur
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Bone Fracture Attorney. Nobody leaves the house expecting to wind up in a car accident. Most people take their time driving and make sure to be aware of their surroundings to keep everyone in their car safe. While some car accidents are the result of unavoidable circumstances, other car accidents could be the result of reckless driving. Regardless of the circumstances, even the smallest of car accidents can lead to traumatic injuries. One of the more serious injuries sustained in car accidents is a fractured femur. The femur is one of the largest bones in the body, making up the upper part of the leg. This means that it requires a tremendous amount of force to fracture the femur, meaning there are also numerous complications that could develop.
Diagnosis of a Fractured Femur
The first step in identifying any complications is to correctly diagnose the primary injury. This means that the physician will likely order an x-ray, CT scan, MRI, or all of the above to diagnose the fractured femur. A simple x-ray is typically enough to identify the fracture in the femur, but since it takes a significant trauma to fracture this large bone, physicians will likely worry about other injured structures or complications. This could require additional imaging tests and lab work to rule out other injuries or anomalies that could be overlooked on an x-ray.
Other Structures are Injured with a Fractured Femur
There are a couple of injuries that people can sustain along with a fractured femur. Above the femur, people may break their pelvis or their hip. In fact, many patients who break their femur in a car accident may also have an associated posterior hip dislocation. Below the femur, patients may suffer anterior and posterior cruciate ligament injuries. Even lower, patients may sustain a fibula or tibial fracture. In a serious car accident, it’s not unusual for people to break multiple bones.
Complications can Arise During the Repair of a Fractured Femur
Some patients only have hairline fractures of their femur. These may not require surgery to fix, especially if there is only a single fracture that hasn’t been displaced. Patients who have open fractures will require surgery to repair their injury. There are several complications that could arise during the repair. Patients could lose a significant amount of blood, requiring a blood transfusion. The surgical site could get infected after the procedure, requiring a substantial hospital stay and antibiotics. With serious injuries, patients may require rehabilitation of traumatic injuries to learn how to walk again. In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis is good. Most patients make a full recovery.
Contact an Experienced Bone Fracture Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Bone Fracture Attorney. A fractured femur is a severe medical injury. Anyone with traumatic injuries suffered in a car accident should reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 for friendly, free advice. Some may prefer my toll-free number at (800) 404-5400.
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