Delayed union timeframe?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi team,

Does anyone have guidelines on what timeframe is considered for delayed union of a fracture? All I have found is that a delayed union is a fracture that takes longer than normal to heal... But what is that? At what time do drs accept that it is delayed and intervention may be required?

I sustained a displaced spiral fracture of my 5th metatarsal on 23/07. At 6 weeks they removed my cast and did another x-ray and to me it didn't seem healed at all. Still a huge gap in the break and still grossly swollen. The hospital drs put me in a moon boot and said we'll see at 12 weeks. No discussion about what would happen at this time.

I got a referral to a private orthopaedic surgeon who I saw today, and said he would do another x-ray in 3 weeks time (12 1/2weeks after injury) and see. He also suggested 'we might then see how it is in another 4 weeks'.

At what point do I draw the line and say it's been given long enough? Any ideas on what accepted time frames are and when it's considered too long?

2

I am lead to believe that it can and some times does take upwards of a year and sometimes longer, I'm sure someone will know, are you unable to weight bear

3

Hi emmy89.

I wish I could help but I don't know. Thank you for asking the question though!

Hope you get some good responses.

4

Emmy,

     I hope you get some answers soon, I know the feeling with doctors not explaining things when it comes to your health, and I don't understand it because we should have the right to know about our health and what we should expect. Keep us informed as to what you find out and I hope they give you the answers you deserve. I would probably just ask the doctor hey this is my body we're talking about can you give me a time frame on what we're talking about here, and see what he says.