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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can A Fractured Ulna Be Treated?

I had a broken distal radius and slightly fractured Ulna in Jan 2016. I had no surgery and the cast was below the elbow. I was a 58 female at the time of the fracture and my wrist had a deformed look from the fracture. It is now 18 months later and I only have about 50 % ROM. I am told that the bones are in proper position and have healed well yet my ROM is so poor. I am told it is due to scar tissue on my tendons, ligaments which is restricting my ROM but I can t help thinking it is something more. Most of the swelling was all gone within 3 months and also the pain until a private therapist decided to use Ultrasound on the Ulna side due a slight swelling still there. My wrist experienced severe swelling from obvious over heating and the periosteum tissue around the ulna styloid and carpal bone enlarged and then turned tough and had the effect of decreasing my ROM to the inside. Every day I still feel pain on my Ulna side when I move it from the ultrasound treatment even though it has been over 1 year. Subsequent X-Rays show an enlargement of the Ulna styloid since the ultrasound Treatment. The Doctor did not give an explanation for this but I am positive it was due to damage from the ultrasound treatment - which was 50 times higher in intensity than is recommended for healing fractures according to my research. Plus the therapist did not have a Certificate. Setting aside the damage from the ultrasound, If the Doctor s diagnosis is correct and my 50 % ROM is due to scar tissues on my tendons and ligaments, and not the improper alignment of the Ulna and Distal Radius, is the 50 % the maximum ROM I will ever get back? Thank you for an answer.
Tue, 21 Nov 2017
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Orthopaedic Surgeon 's  Response
hello mam
I went through your question and it was quite detailed in nature
now I believe you sustained a distal radius fracture or simply fracture of radius near wrist. Associated ulnar stylod or distal ulna is quite common with these fractures.
As you have mentioned you were managed with below elbow pop cast
Now you are suffering from decresed range of motion of wrist.
In my opinion tendon adhering to a scar tissue is a possibility but not much common in nonoperative treatment.
However a common complication of distal radius fracture is malunion of fracture and it is very common after nonoperative treatment.
also prominence of ulna styloid is due to collapse of distal radius which is again common in nonoperative treatment
leading to pain.
if your condition is much painful and your Room is restricted you can underwent corrective surgery for malunion and simultaneously taking care of prominent ulna
which might come in normal relationship to distal radius or if if severely diseased can be excited out.
But before all that I would suggest to take an orthopedic consult along with x-ray.
Wish you all the best
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How Can A Fractured Ulna Be Treated?

hello mam I went through your question and it was quite detailed in nature now I believe you sustained a distal radius fracture or simply fracture of radius near wrist. Associated ulnar stylod or distal ulna is quite common with these fractures. As you have mentioned you were managed with below elbow pop cast Now you are suffering from decresed range of motion of wrist. In my opinion tendon adhering to a scar tissue is a possibility but not much common in nonoperative treatment. However a common complication of distal radius fracture is malunion of fracture and it is very common after nonoperative treatment. also prominence of ulna styloid is due to collapse of distal radius which is again common in nonoperative treatment leading to pain. if your condition is much painful and your Room is restricted you can underwent corrective surgery for malunion and simultaneously taking care of prominent ulna which might come in normal relationship to distal radius or if if severely diseased can be excited out. But before all that I would suggest to take an orthopedic consult along with x-ray. Wish you all the best