All about Internal Bone Fixation And Surgical Plates And Screws Used In It

1. INTERNAL BONE FIXATION AND SURGICAL PLATES AND SCREWS USED IN IT Until the last century, doctors used to entirely rely upon casts and splints to heal and join it back in the case of a fractured bone. But with time, more relevant and acceptable techniques got introduced to the medical world, and that’s when they got an internal fixation method for fractures. In this method, the bones are physically joined with the help of surgical plates and screws. This method is comparatively more comfortable with the pain and the days of rest as well as it has several other advantages that make it more prominent. In this article, you will learn about this method in great detail, so read till the end. What is an internal fixation for bones? Internal fixation is a type of surgery practiced in orthopaedics in which the surgeons use artificial implants to join the fractured bones together and repair them. These implants keep the bone fragments intact so that they stay in place. This method is better than other bone fractures treatments because it claims faster recovery, less pain, and easy motion. Professional medical equipment companies manufacture the plates and screws used in such surgeries, and most people who have got it done recommend this to other patients. Therefore there is nothing to be afraid of while you plan to have an internal fixation. Screws and plates used for fractures The surgical implants such as the pins, screws, and plates used for fractures are made of stainless steel or titanium alloy because they are robust and have a high durability. In some cases, when the doctors can’t fix the bone and have to replace it instead, they use implants made up of cobalt or chrome. These metals are cordial to the human body, and thus no significant harms have been recorded till now. However, the situation may vary with the person's various medical conditions. Let’s go deep into the details of these implants. ● Plates – If you know what splints are, you can easily understand what leaves are and how they work. They are just like the splints and work in the same way, the difference being that they work internally. They keep two bones intact and joined together by getting attached on both of their sides. They are kept attached to bones with the help of screws.

2. ● Screws – Screws are one of the most commonly used surgical devices. Screws come in different sizes and are used in different ways depending upon the severity of the fracture and the type and size of the bone. They are sometimes used alone to hold the bone by themselves, and sometimes they are used with nails, rods, or plates to hold them. ● Nails/rods – When a long bone is broken, a rod is inserted inside the hollow part of the bone to keep it joined with the other broken piece. It is held in place by putting screws at both ends, so the rod does not rotate or shorten. While the rods are used for long bones, nails are used for the shorter bones. They are generally similar to the rods but differ in size. ● Wires/Pins – When the breakage happens in the bones that are too short to be fixed through screws, they are joined together through wires or pins. Most commonly, they are used with other devices like plates and screws to keep them attached, but they can be used individually in tiny bones. These devices support bone healing and do not harm your body. They are left inside there even after the healing is done. Final note Internal fixation surgeries are one of the best ways to heal your bones. There is a misconception about internal fixation surgeries that they are not safe and can create difficulties in the future. But there is no proven fact that it is risky. If there exists a more straightforward and convenient solution to your problem, then there is no point in continuing to suffer, so you can give a try to internal fixation surgery if you have had a bone fracture. Original Source: https://miraclusahmedabad.tumblr.com/post/665381047311187968/internal-bone-fixation-and-surg ical-plates-and