James C. Cassandra, DO
Orthopedic Hand & Elbow Surgeon
At OrthoNeuro, our orthopedic surgeons perform many procedures to restore the function of your hands.
One of those procedures is closed reduction-internal fixation (CRIF).
It is a surgical treatment to fix severely broken bones and is performed by an orthopedic surgeon. The procedure is used when a cast or splint is not sufficient for the fracture to heal properly.
The fractures are usually displaced, or in other words, out of their normal anatomical position. Therefore, the procedure works best when it is done soon after the bone breaks.
When the surgeon performs a closed reduction procedure, it means they don’t need to make an incision in the skin to realign the bone. Instead, they realign the bone through manipulation.
Internal fixation refers to the method that the surgeon holds the bones in place.
Once the fractured bones are aligned, they are held together with K-wires or metal pins until the bone heals.
The differences between an open and closed reduction of a fracture are as follows:
Resetting a bone can be very painful, so the first step is to provide pain medicine. You may be given local anesthesia to block the pain.
You may also be offered a sedative if you are very nervous about the procedure. This will put you in a relaxed state.
In some cases, general anesthesia will be used to put you to sleep throughout the procedure.
Once the medicine has taken effect, your healthcare provider will reset the bone into the proper alignment.
Then using K-wire or metal pins, the surgeon will fix the bones in the correct position. An x-ray will be taken to confirm this.
Finally, a cast or splint will be used to keep the bone in the right position and protect it while it heals.
After the procedure, you will be monitored by the nurses and doctors.
They will measure your blood pressure, breathing, and pulse. They will also check to make sure the nerves have not been affected during the resetting of the broken bone.
You may use over-the-counter medicines for a few days following the procedure to relieve any pain.
Consider the following benefits:
You use your hands, wrists, and elbows all the time. Don’t let pain interfere with your quality of life or independence.
Call OrthoNeuro today or make an appointment online if you have persistent pain in your hand, wrist, or elbow that limits your movement or independence.
If you want to restore function to your hand after a severe fracture, schedule an appointment with one of our Board Certified Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Specialists at one of our 7 convenient locations throughout Greater Columbus.
Best of all, most patients can be seen within 24 hours of making an appointment.
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