Kids and broken bones - what would you do?

So I mentioned on the general chatter thread that my eldest has broken his arm. It's a break high up on the humerus, completely across the bone and displaced, and as such they can't put it in a cast so the two options are pinning it in surgery or putting it in a sling and letting gravity make the bones align. They opted for the latter course of action to minimise the risk of a GA and of infection.

Fast forward to today, 8 days after the accident. The x-ray he has now had shows the bone has partially moved but is still displaced which it shouldn't be given how long it's been in the sling. He's also got very little ability to move his hand which again they thought should be better by now. The surgeon has mentioned surgery but wants to see his next Wednesday for more x-rays to decide.

We have been going through the public system but we do have private cover. I mainly keep it for if one of the kids needs doing something that they would otherwise have a long wait for but now I'm wondering if I should get a second opinion. It seems a long time to wait and both my husband and I think it should be pinned so he can get on with healing.

What would you do? Get a 2nd opnion or just wait until Wednesday next week and see what the next x-rays show? Also, has anyone seen a private orthopaedic surgeon with their kids and how much was the excess between insurance and doctor's fees? I know $$ shouldn't come into it but unfortunately they do at the moment.

Any and all opinions welcome :)

i'd be seeking the opinion of a private ortho - that just seems like a really long wait - it should be starting to knit by now, not waiting on alignment - and if it doesn't align, or does, but not correctly, he's been through a significant period of wasted time when he could be on the mend. i wouldn't risk it on a maybe. with 19 years of badly healed break in my past, and facing my third surgery soon, i wouldn't consider risking it.

Can't help with the costs, cause I haven't had to use it with my kids.. You can always have the consultation and see what they say, and not be locked into the surgery.


But I am another one with a broken bone not set correctly and giving me grief 20 yrs down the track. Mine is my finger, and it it was anything else, would be going nuts..

I do have a plate and screws in my arm from a clean break, and whilst I admit that I have pain with extreme weather changes, but there was more risk of my arm not setting correctly that wasn't worth the risk..

I would be getting a second opinion ASAP before the bone starts to heal in the incorrect position. They may suggest the same thing and atleast your concerns about the treatment plan may be lessened

Not sure about the costs a specialist consult for the first appointment can range from $50-$120 out of pocket. If surgery or hospital is needed it would depend on your insurance provider, you can also ask to be admitted as a private patient ina public hospittal which can reduce some costs. In Adelaide there are no private hospitals with paed wards

Thanks guys I think you have all said what DH and I have been thinking. I'm going to phone a surgeon tomorrow to sound them out and see if I can get the x-rays sent over to him. My health insurance has no excess for kids on hospital stays and the private hospital has a paed ward so that should be ok. Guess I won't know until I know I phone and at least if the 2nd opinion says the same then I will be happier with the treatment offered.

I would be getting 2nd opinion private as that seems a really long time to wait and for what?? high chance will still need surgery and takes longer for him to have pain.

Hope he gets it sorted soon.

:bump:

after the last time I posted I spoke to a woman I know whose daughter had the same type of break and she talked me through the treatment she had, which was the same as recommended for my DS1 so I decided to give the public system a 2nd chance and at the next appointment his case was reviewed by 3 consultants and a good course of action agreed on. He was given a lower arm splint to support his wrist as he had nerve damage that they expected to resolve around the 6 week mark and his bones have started to knit together nicely.

Fast forward to today and his x-rays are looking fine but his nerves are still not recovered almost 7 weeks post break, so we had nerve conduction tests done by a neurologist. These tests showed damage to the median nerve although it is in continuum, and severe damage to the radial nerve with no evidence that is it in continuum (ie it could possibly be severed).

Please, does anyone have experience with this sort of injury and what should I do? I have made an appointment for the GP tonight to go through the results but he doesn't have an orthopaedic appointment for 2 weeks and the neurologist just gave me the report with no recommendation for treatment. Should I be pushing for a quicker appointment or do you think I should call the orthopaedic registrar at the hospital and ask for advice? Please please please any help so gratefully received.

Who requested the neurologist testing? I would get in contact with whoever referred you and ask them if the appointment should be moved forward

Sorry his recovery has been complicated :(

The orthopaedic reg at the hospital requested it. I guess I could call and ask what they thing, that would probably be the most sensible thing to do anyway.

I would ring the hospital and speak to the ortho. dept. Or even at a different hospital. I had to speak to the ortho dept at Sunshine hospital a few years ago when the Man damaged his ankle, for advice. Very helpful. I hope that you would be able to get an appointment sooner, rather than later, so that some good mending may happen. :hug:

I phoned the ortho reg who just kept repeating that waiting 2 weeks to see them was fine, it's not an issue, they saw him this week already and yadda yadday yadda. I finally got a break in the conversation to read him the test results to ask for clarification and he said "ahm, maybe we should get him in next week". Grr, so obviously he does need to see someone asap. I'm so freaking annoyed, he didn't even want to hear the test results that I was phoning to ask about! He did stress that the nerve is only potentially severed, which I understand, but surely finding out if that is the case or not should be some form of a priority?

GP in half an hour, I am asking for referral to a private surgeon as soon as possible.

:wall: omg, how frustrating! Its awful when they don't pay attention.

More frustrating, I just remembered (I have baby brain, ok? :redface: ) that I saw a very good ortho surgeon in Kew last year, but I can't rrmember his name. I'm trying, but its just not coming. I'll try to find paperwork from him if you would like his name.

Thanks Netix but I have been given the names of a couple of good ones in Geelong (thanks to a stint working in a private surgical ward - I also know which ones to avoid). Hoping I can get onto one without too much of a wait.

Okay, cool. I just remembered his name; Mr Craig Mills. He's either in Kew, or very close to. I am a bit stuck on the armchair atm, I have two little boys fast asleep on me!

Glad you got in contact with someone, he sounded like a real charmer :rolleyes:. Hope you can get in to a private ortho ASAP Im sure once they have the details the wait shouldn't be too long.

Thanks everyone for reading my anxious rambles. I have been to the GP and he has reassured me that I can refuse to speak to an intern or reg, and insist on only speaking to the consultant when he has his next appointment. He also says I can easily transfer to private once I have been seen at outpatients and they have decided on a mode of action - I can find out who is the best person to oversee the treatment and transfer at that point but right now he doesn't know who would be best and feels that even if I do have to wait 2 weeks that it will not affect the treatment or recovery.

So slightly less annoyed and frustrated now.