Missed fracture?

[maryandhersheep]

AIBU to wonder if fractures ever get missed on x rays? Fell down a rabbit hole and nurse said no fracture to foot after X-RAY but 3 days later still can't weightbare and the pain is awful? Any experiences?

@Mischance

It is inevitable that some fractures will be missed. That is a given.

But what bugged me was that no-one would listen when I told them I could not weight-bear - they were so patronising. If they had taken what I was saying seriously there might have been some hope that I would not now be walking with a stick; that my lovely walking holidays are now impossible; that I cannot even think about running.

Staff should know that it is possible for fractures to be missed and alarm bells should start ringing, which should result in them looking a bit closer.

So sorry to hear what you've been through. I'm unable to weight bare still which is worrying.

I had a misdiagnosed Lisfranc Fracture (initially diagnosed as a sprained ankle) and was walking on it for 6 weeks before it was correctly diagnosed via a CT scan which revealed the true extent of the damage. There were ruptured ligaments and multiple fractures to the Lisfranc Joint complex.

Conservative treatment (air boot for 9weeks) failed, by the time I had the first surgery I had been walking on it for a whole year, I had the removal of ruptured ligaments, bone grafts to the 2nd TMT joint, bone grafts to the underside of the second Metatarsal and a metal plate to hold the 2nd TMT joint together.

2 years later I had surgery to fuse the 1st TMT joint so I now have 2 metal plates and a screw through the 1st & 2nd TMT joints.

Currently awaiting 3rd surgery. This will be on the 2nd and 3rd Metatarsals and to remove all metalwork

20% of Lisfranc Fractures are initially misdiagnosed.

I was eventually offered fusion surgery to whole foot; but I turned this down when I was told that it would not last me long and that the forces that had previously gone through my foot would go through my ankle and cause that to give trouble. I decided to settle for what I had, however imperfect it is.

Mine was what is known as an avulsion fracture: a sprain of sufficient severity to pull bones apart - in my case the heel bone, part of which is still adrift.

macavity .. yes I did 😉