What Happens If A Fracture Is Left Untreated
When a patient presents to A&E with a suspected fracture, medical practitioners should follow the 'Ottawa Rules'. There are around 60,000 fractures every year in this country, and this protocol ensures 98% of fractures are detected.
Unfortunately, around 1% of fractures are missed. For those patients, the symptoms they develop because of their untreated fracture can be life-changing. They may entitled to pursue a claim for these damages, as it is negligent to miss a fracture for more than a few weeks.
If you have experienced an untreaded fracture, please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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What happens if a fracture is left untreated?
But what actually happens to the bone if a fracture is left untreated? The answer depends upon the nature of the fracture.
If the bone is not piercing the skin (called a closed fracture) and the bone has not become misaligned, there can be a successful recovery. The body will begin to form new bone cells, called callous, at the fracture site. Because the bone has remained in the same position, it will unite back together over time. This is more common in hairline fractures.
Malunion of the bone
However, often the fracture will have caused the bone to become misaligned. If so it will need to be put back into place, known medically as a resection.
Even if a reduction is not needed, the bone will have to be immobilised to ensure it does not move during the healing process. That is why plaster casts, slings and other devices are given to fracture patients.
If the bone is not immobilised or put back into position early enough, callous will continue to develop at the fracture site and the bone will eventually knit back together. Nevertheless, the bone will be misaligned, meaning it is not in the correct position. This is called malunion, and can lead to ongoing pain and dysfunction for the individual concerned. The patient may need to have the bone re-broken and reset for a recovery to be made.
Gangrene and life-threatening complications
Furthermore, an untreated fracture can lead to life-threatening complications if the bone has pierced the skin, known as an open fracture. This is because the injury will damage the surrounding tissue and blood vessels. The tissue will become deficient in oxygen, resulting in a condition called gangrene.
All the gangrenous tissue will have to be surgically removed. If a limb is affected, the gangrene may be so extensive that the limb must be amputated. The patient can also develop sepsis due to gangrene, which is associated with dangerously low blood pressure and organ dysfunction. This can be life threatening.
Untreated fracture and medical negligence
Therefore the consequences of an untreated fracture are likely to be very problematic. The patient need to have surgery (sometimes multiple operations), tissue removal and organ support. Even with extensive treatment, he/she may never regain normal function, and may be left with permanent pain and discomfort.
This outcome will be extremely upsetting, but it will be all the more frustrating as it could have been avoided with earlier medical care. In most cases, had the fracture been diagnosed and treated when the patient first presented to a medical setting, a full recovery would have been made.
If this has happened to you, you might want to consider speaking to a medical negligence claim solicitor. As mentioned above, it is negligent to miss a fracture for more than a few weeks. So if your fracture was wrongfully left untreated, it may be that you are legally entitled to pursue a claim.
Types of fractures that might be negligently untreated
Adults have 206 bones in their body and any of these can sustain a fracture. This means there is huge scope for a missed fracture. Some examples of ways in which a missed fracture might result in a claim are listed below:
Acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) fractures in the collar bone are often left to heal on their own. However, the outer shaft may not re-unite. If there is a non-union of the bone, the patient must be operated on within four weeks. If there is delayed union, the patient needs an x-ray every six months to check the injury is improving. If not, surgery will be needed.
Achilles fractures in the heel can be missed. To diagnose the injury, medical practitioners must perform the 'Simmons Test'. This is when the patient is lying on their front with their feet dangling off the end of the bed. The calf muscle is then squeezed; if the foot does not move downwards, there is a problem with the Achilles. If medical practitioners fail to do this test, leading to a missed fracture, there will be a breach of duty.
Lisfranc fractures in the mid-foot are missed around 40% of the time in A&E. They can be hard to diagnose on the patient's first attendance at hospital, but should certainly be diagnosed the second time. It can take three years to recover from an untreated lisfranc fracture.
Posterior fractures in the shoulder are often missed and these will be negligent.
Scaphoid fractures in the wrist need four different x-ray angles to diagnose the break. If the fracture is not treated within four weeks, the patient will need a surgical correction. If left untreated entirely, the injury can become necrotic.
Spinal fractures are often missed. If it is a dangerous injury and the patient is paralysed as a result, there will be grounds for a claim.
Find out more about claiming for an untreated fracture
Whatever type of fracture you sustained, if you believe it was negligently managed by medical practitioners, you need to speak to a medical compensation lawyer.
At Glynns Solicitors we specialise in medical negligence claims and offer everyone a free initial enquiry. This means you can discover if you are eligible to claim compensation without having to pay for expert legal advice.
To speak to one of our medical negligence solicitors, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today. We suggest that you seek legal advice as soon as possible, as claims must be made within three years of the event.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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