Broken wrist in bad position? **GRAPHIC PIC WARNING**

[Larafromthe80s]

I'm 3 weeks post surgery and have had K Wires for multiple radial fractures.
I had my cast changed and 1 of the wires turned today and the consultant was really cross with me for not flattening my hand to the table!
The xrays look fine and surgery is working but my wrist is bent upwards and has been since the op. The consultant left the room telling the plaster guy to be sure to cast it straight but he couldn't so it's now back bent. It's on for another 4 weeks and I'm stressing that this will cause lasting damage.
Does anyone have any advice? Will physio fix this?
Thanks

If the plaster room couldn’t cast it straight as per instructions didn’t they call the consultant back? If not maybe you could contact the consultant through his secretary and explain the situation ?

I am totally confused. Your wrist is bent downwards in the picture and there is no cast.

You need more surgery I think

No he just said if "if you could straighten it I would cast it straight but you cant so we wont" and then said different consultants tell you different things! This guy wasnt my consultant, he wasnt there today but 4 more weeks in this position feels so unnatural.
Have included a pic of the new casted position
My fingers dont move either which I'm now receiving 2 lots of physio per week for

@RosesAndHellebores

I am totally confused. Your wrist is bent downwards in the picture and there is no cast.

I took the pic while I was waiting for the consultant to come and turn the wire which had slightly spun. It had a new cast on 20 mins later

@RosesAndHellebores

I am totally confused. Your wrist is bent downwards in the picture and there is no cast.

Also sorry I mean theres a bump I cant flatten around my wrist area if that makes sense but my hands always in a down position

3 weeks post surgery Mine was at a funny angle too, mine was pinned and plated however mine was not put into a cast so could keep correcting it an exercise it myself. Think u probably need to speak to ur surgeon.

well a fracture this severe will most likely leave you with some long lasting issues.
sounds like you are getting good care and follow up.
all you can do at this point is eat healthy, stay away from any and all smoke and prevent infection setting in.

Thank you, thankfully I dont smoke and am healthy however I am in my mid 30s with 2 young children and a job which relies on good use of my hands so I am panicking a little 😔

I broke my wrist 6 weeks ago - they managed to reposition without surgery and after a couple of weeks they put it in this position fingers slightly to the outside to stabilise it - needed gas and air for that experience! Have had several medical professionals comment that it was the right way to set it. First job when I get the cast off today is to flatten it, but it’s so bloody painful even after all this time.

@MaidenSpeech sorry to hear you've suffered too!
Just so I understand they've put yours in the same position as mine?
If so that makes me feel better! Huge good luck for today please let me know how it goes

Hope this gives you an idea. They deliberately put it in this shape. The ortho tech guy called it a cup and saucer support.

Just to add - I have been very anxious for the whole 6 weeks, my care in A&E was not what I'd call stellar. Ortho dept has been a bit better - but they didn't notice I broke my ulna as well as my radius several times. It's been so very painful, still bruised even 6 weeks later, I can feel things moving, they say it's healing but how can they tell when they couldn't see the. break on my ulna. I keep asking them if the pain is normal and I get yet for another week - then after that well everyone's different, have some more codeine...

I so scared of the plaster coming off.

What do you mean by you can't move your fingers? Is it too painful to, or do they not move?
And was your wrist not movable at all even when they were manually trying to straighten it?

Orthopaedic Surgeon,

This looks absolutely standard.

Mine was pinned and plated last summer op so I imagine a completely different break so I can't comment about the position, etc, but note the advice of the pp above who says they are an orthopaedic surgeon.

It many well be absolutely the correct procedure executed in a textbook way. However, and as happens too often in the NHS you have been subject to very poor communication and inadequate explanation.

Fir your next appointment, note all your concerns and go through them one by one until you have satisfactory answers. If you don't get them, and I have met some very rude and dismissive orthopaedic registrars, stand your ground and ask to speak directly with the consultant.

Get well soon.

@FixTheBone

Orthopaedic Surgeon,

This looks absolutely standard.

Very reassuring, thank you 🙂

@CMOTDibbler

What do you mean by you can't move your fingers? Is it too painful to, or do they not move? And was your wrist not movable at all even when they were manually trying to straighten it?

The break was bad, on arrival to hospital my was cold white and had no pulse for almost an hour. It took a lot of yanking to get it back into a position to allow circulation and since that night my fingers are totally rigid. The physio is helping however I have a lot of bad swelling on all fingers and my knuckles too. They're not sure how much movement I'll get back long term as my radial nerve is damaged. It doesnt hurt when I try to move my wrist or fingers they just physically wont. I'm on 2x amitriptyline and 4 codeine a day but it's still not assisting with my a ability to move them. I'm praying once the wires are out it will come back more?

Thanks so much to everyone who has replied, definitely feel more reassured now and for those who have been through similar, I hope you're recovering well

Now you've hopefully been reassured - that sounds incredibly traumatic for you.

Would it help to tell anybody about how you broke it? Obviously if you don't want to, don't, but sometimes it can lessen other worries if they're really coming about because you haven't quite processed the circumstances in the first place?

I think I'd want to talk about that inability to be moved with the consultant in depth tbh. In retrospect, my wrist being stuck and unable to be moved into a better position during plastering, and my lack of finger movement should have been discussed more at that point as it turned out I had damaged a motor nerve, but it took a long time to be addressed as I 'should' have been able to move it/ have it moved.

@Larafromthe80s take some laxatives with the codeine - I ended up severely constipated and getting duff advice from my GP on the best one to take.
Also mini update from my appt - my fear that healing was not progressing as expected was realised - plaster back is back in again with check in 2 weeks.

Naproxen works better for me than Codeine.