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What Causes Sclerosis At The Wound Site After Injury?

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Posted on Mon, 8 May 2017
Question: Hello, I fractured the waist of my scaphoid and got it casted three weeks after the injury. Prior to the injury I wore a splint occasionally and before I got the cast it started to feel a little better. I got a CT scan done a week after wearing the cast and they said it didn't look displaced and there was sclerosis seen along the fracture margin. Also, the other day I was moving and pulling my cast back and fourth along my arm to help with the itching. I noticed that I could feel my wrist and hand bones moving with the cast as it was pretty snug. I wasn't extremely aggressive but I felt it moving the bones in my hand some for sure. It didn't hut when I did it but I noticed later on when I moved my hand a certain way I felt a pain around my thumb and wrist some occasionally. They also trimmed the thumb part of my cast down a little the day before and my cast has started to get a little bit loser. Could the pain I have felt be because my wrist is a little stiff from wearing the cast and now I have a little bit of room. I have only and the cast for a week. The pain is not bad and its only when I move my hand certain ways and its basically gone now. Im just concerned because it didn't hurt in the cast at all before and I just hope I didn't displace it. I am not moving the cast like that anymore. My questions are

What does sclerosis mean at the fracture site? What are the possibilities of displacing the fracture or making it worse by tugging and pulling on the cast parallel and up and down my arm?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
No need to worry.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting your query.
Sclerosis at the fracture site suggests that the process of healing at the fracture site has started. After the sclerosis has started the bone is now less likely to get displaced. The tugging and pulling of the cast will not affect the bone fragments now and you need not worry. The pain you had could be due to a stiff wrist.
I hope this answers your query.
In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out.
Wishing you good health.
Regards.
Dr. Praveen Tayal.
For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (17 hours later)
I have attached some of the pictures from my CT scan. There were a lot of pictures on there so I chose a few to look at. Based off the pictures how bad does my fracture look and how much healing do you see? Is there any new bone growth at all? Does the blood supply look okay?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (8 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Bone shows necrosis.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Thanks for writing again.
I have seen the attached reports. The distal fractured fragment shows sclerosis and lack of vascularity. it is suggestive of bone necrosis. There is no callus formation- no new bone growth.
Surgery is the best option now. keeping the hand in cast will not help.
Hope my answer is helpful.
Do accept my answer in case there are no further queries.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (26 minutes later)
I have only had the cast for a week though. My orthopedic said she thinks it will heal fine in a cast? You don't think so?

I have only had the injury for a month. I thought it took at least 6 months for the bone to die and collapse.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal (37 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Only surgery can save the bone.

Detailed Answer:
Since the process of bone death has already started the bone is not going to heal now with rest and immobilization. A good blood supply is needed for the bone to heal. The bone dies completely in 4-6 months but now the revascularzation can be tried surgically only.
Regards.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Praveen Tayal

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 12314 Questions

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What Causes Sclerosis At The Wound Site After Injury?

Brief Answer: No need to worry. Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for posting your query. Sclerosis at the fracture site suggests that the process of healing at the fracture site has started. After the sclerosis has started the bone is now less likely to get displaced. The tugging and pulling of the cast will not affect the bone fragments now and you need not worry. The pain you had could be due to a stiff wrist. I hope this answers your query. In case you have additional questions or doubts, you can forward them to me, and I shall be glad to help you out. Wishing you good health. Regards. Dr. Praveen Tayal. For future query, you can directly approach me through my profile URL http://bit.ly/Dr-Praveen-Tayal