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Original poster

DM brok arm abroad. Patched up but may need surgery. What pathway?

46 replies

brokenarmabroad · 05/02/2023 18:57

On a city break in Europe with DM. Yesterday she slipped on ice and inured her arm. It obviously wasn't right so we went to the (excellent) local hospital who xrayed it and confirmed a severe break of both bones of her forearm. They tried twice to realign it but weren't fully satisfied with the result, and said it may need surgery. She's in a cast now, doing well in herself, and we arrive back in the UK late tonight.

I'm not sure where to go from here. Obviously she needs to been assessed and treated. Her GP surgery is worse than useless and doesn't even answer the phone. Should I just take her to A&E in the morning and hope for the best? Any medics on here who can advise on the best course of action?

Thank you!

OP posts:
Helenloveslee4eva · 05/02/2023 19:01

A&e.
however low you rate your Gp they aren’t a trauma service so they best they could possibly do is refer in , which practically doesn’t do anything helpful anyway.

Changingplace · 05/02/2023 19:03

If it’s broken it needs to be A&E it’s not something a GP would deal with no matter whether they were easy to book in with or not.

LIZS · 05/02/2023 19:04

Ring gp and ask for a referral to fracture clinic, if not minor injuries will if you present there

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Original poster
brokenarmabroad · 05/02/2023 19:06

Thank you for the replies - I didn't explain myself well - I know that of course the GP won't be able to do anything, but DM seems to think that the 'correct' thing to do is get a referal from the GP. I think that will take too long and that we should just go to a&e...

OP posts:
Roselilly36 · 05/02/2023 19:10

Are the hospital ok with your mum flying, as the cast is so recent?

hedgehoglurker · 05/02/2023 19:10

Minor injuries, if you have one. Usually a much shorter wait time and certainly appropriate.

Whycanineverever · 05/02/2023 19:11

Do the hospital know she's flying? If I remember rightly the cast needs to be split. You will also need to declare it to the airline (travel insurance should sort if they are involved)

Newwardrobe · 05/02/2023 19:12

Ive been in a similar situation and went straight to A&E , a minor injuries unit won't have the facilities to deal with this .

TheYearOfSmallThings · 05/02/2023 19:14

Go to A&E so they can x-ray it and an orthopedist can review it. They will either list her for surgical repair, or give her an appointment in the fracture clinic if they are happy with the current alignment (which sounds unlikely since the other hospital weren't).

Bring her first thing tomorrow because if surgery is needed then the sooner the better.

underneaththeash · 05/02/2023 19:14

It really depends on area at the moment. I’d ring 111 (they were actually competent last time we called) and ask them.

TokyoSushi · 05/02/2023 19:17

Yes A&E, she'll likely almost need to start again with it in the UK so that'll be her best bet. Hope she's ok!

ticktock19 · 05/02/2023 19:18

I badly broke my forearm in October, both bones in 5 places, I went directly to A&E and they put me through to their minor injuries dept which I was incredibly grateful for as it was empty and I was called through in 10 mins. I had multiple X-rays to discover all the X-rays and needed surgery. I actually didn't have surgery until 7 days later due to hospital capacity and also the swelling in my arm was too severe and needed to reduce first.
Minor injuries put me in a 'back slab' plaster to support my arm and a big sling that I had to wear 24/7 whilst I waited. It was uncomfortable and I could do very little but it worked until surgery.
If they've failed to relocate the bones then I'm presuming she'll need ORIF surgery (open reduction and internal fixation) which I had. My surgery was successful although 2 of my fractures are being very slow to heal but the plates and screws are holding it together well and the use and movement I've got back in it is remarkable.
I'd go to A&E on your return and get her seen and on the emergency surgery list as soon as is possible. My very best wishes to you both

Thinpigeon1 · 05/02/2023 19:19

Unfortunately you'll need to go to a+e. My daughter broke her arm recently while we were away from home (still in UK!) and we needed to re-present to a+e when we got home to sort an appointment at the fracture clinic. Total waste of time for something that could have very easily been done over the phone as they didn't even look at her arm second time round but it was the only route to the clinic!

mobear · 05/02/2023 19:29

I broke my leg in a foreign country and went straight to A&E from Heathrow. Unfortunately it seems there’s no way around it. I had private insurance but even then had to present at A&E first.

mobear · 05/02/2023 19:30
  • second those mentioning the cast being split. I had to have this done too before I could fly.
FluffMagnet · 05/02/2023 19:43

I tried to do "the right thing" as I saw it and go via the GP last year. They couldn't get me into the fracture clinic for well over a week. Fortunately a nurse friend of mine took one look at the back slab I had as a temporary measure (this was already over a week on from the break, and two appointments/ x rays in France) and drove me straight to A&E.

Northernlurker · 05/02/2023 21:25

My aunt did this last year. Just go to A&E. it's v sweet of your mum to want to follow the right route but she's had an accident, the clue is in the name Wink A&E will then refer to fracture clinic.

Jagley · 05/02/2023 21:32

Yes A&E when you're back, take any paperwork etc... you have, my dad broke his arm abroad a few years ago and had surgery, still had to go through A&E when he got home.

EvelynBeatrice · 05/02/2023 21:49

If you're in France or another civilised European country, isn't there any chance she could have surgery there? Undoubtedly better treatment in France and probably elsewhere than U.K.

Kisskiss · 05/02/2023 21:51

Had almost the exact same thing hapoen - I have private insurance so I rang the helpline to get a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon… in this scenario I would go straight to a&e and they will pretty much do the same thing

Allblackeverythingalways · 05/02/2023 21:55

I did something similar, we rang ahead and were told to go via a&e
They tried to fob us off and told us to contact the fracture clinic directly, the break needed urgent surgery though so a&e was the correct path.

Princesspollyyy · 05/02/2023 22:23

My son broke his leg skiing in Italy. On arrival in the UK we went straight to a&e, and they sorted it out.

The GP isn't appropriate, just go straight to a&e.

AndNowIKnowWhatHappened · 05/02/2023 22:26

I'd go through 111 online. It will tell you what to do and arrange a phone call if needed or tell you to go to A and E or minor injuries. You enter all your details and symptoms. It's really good

Muchtoomuchtodo · 05/02/2023 22:27

Hopefully she’s in a back slab and not a full cast and has got a certificate to fly.

Once you’re back in the uk, head to her nearest A&E.

ds broke his arm in a different part of the uk, and we had to go to A&E to get a trauma clinic appt. There was absolutely nothing that 111 or our GP could do.

OnTheBoardwalk · 05/02/2023 22:29

Yep A&E is the only way to go to get to orthopaedics and on the fracture clinic lists

my mum slipped before Christmas and was told this. After the op and suspected blood clots days after the op the fracture clinic told her she had to go to back to A&E for triage. They were fantastic but felt strange not going straight back to the surgical clinic