How long for surgical repair for a broken bone?

[Professionalmess]

How long would you expect to wait for a repair on an unstable traumatic bone injury?

I took the proximal head off my humerus on the 23rd. Wasn't seen in fracture clinic until yesterday. Was told I'd get a call about planning surgery today but simply received an electronic letter for another appointment at fracture clinic for next Friday. So 2 weeks and 2 days post injury and they still won't have done anything. Just sent home with a sling.

The bones aren't even aligned so it's not going to heal properly on its own. I can feel it moving about when I move.

I know NHS is overstretched. I work for them. I can't afford private.

Just not sure what to do.

You have my sympathy I don’t think that’s anywhere near reasonable. I would call and check, perhaps they plan on doing the surgery in the interim and this will be your follow up appointment.

In a run of bad luck DS broke his elbow and needed surgery, performed following day. Following year I broke my wrist and surgery was next day. I’d of said 24-72 hours if it was a weekend or something.

Did need to go back to fracture clinic within a couple of days both times though.

I'll call on Monday. Hopefully I can get an answer sooner.

I haven't broken anything since I was a kid and it was never surgical. So I don't know what to expect.

I waited 10 days for surgery, Feb 2022. Was told it would be next day (was a spectacular break) but kept being pushed back

@ramonaquimby I'm already at 10 days and nothing has been scheduled to be pushed back yet though. By next appointment it will be 16 days.

ouch, that will hurt. Call up, hope you are seen v soon

Surgery tomorrow. Thank goodness.

I called Monday and put it on the line. Receptionist was a bit snooty until I offered to datix her attitude. She very quickly changed her tune. Got consultant to see me today instead of Friday. Now I am being screwed back together tomorrow.

🤞 it doesn't get delayed or pushed back.

🤞sometimes you need to be the squeaky wheel. Hope it all goes well today.

Currently sat in my surgical gown awaiting my turn.

I'm bored and there's some whiney cantankerous windbags waiting with me.

Of course I'm fasting because of the imminent GA... I may get too hangry to bite my tongue...

Good luck! I've broken both arms, same injury as you. The first I had surgery for (ORIF). I was told after a week I needed it, it was due to be 3 or 4 days after but cancelled due to staff shortages so was 2 weeks after injury, a week after being told I needed it. The second time it was managed by sling alone (mainly because I begged to try and avoid it.)

Tbh I found the op really really painful. I naively thought once I had it the pain would be gone but of course as my husband said at the time I had to judge recovery from the date of the op not the date of the accident. I ended up of my head on maximum doses of dihydrydecodeine. This was why I was keen to avoid it the second time. Its healed but is still stiff and painful and I'm beginning to wonder if it would have healed better if I'd pushed for it second time. Too late now though, the arm's healed, I'm not going to have it now!