We take care of traumatic injuries of the extremities that result in broken bones (fractures). If you have suffered a broken bone (fracture) or significant injury to a joint, most patients are initially seen in the emergency department.
Even if we are not on call, it is our privilege to take care of you. We understand no one plans for an injury and we will make every effort to take care of you, if requested.
Many injuries require follow up in our office after your emergency department visit. We would like to inform you that several injuries are best treated when the follow up is 5-7 days after the injury. Please know that we often have looked at your X-rays from the ER and have already formed a treatment plan. By allowing the 5-7 days between the ER and your first office visit, often the swelling has subsided and we can transition you from your initial splint to a cast or other means of immobilization. If the injury were to require surgery, we would often see you sooner than 5-7 days.
Surgery is recommended for fractures when surgery will allow for a more functional recovery of the joint or extremity. Over the course of history, some fractures can cause serious functional limitations and it is our goal to restore function as close to baseline as possible.
Dear Dr. Sams, Thank you for the excellent job you did in setting my wrist fracture at the emergency room. Due to your expertise and skill I did not need to have surgery to repair the break. I am now out of the cast and undergoing physical therapy. Thank you again for saving me from the stress and potential hazards of surgery.
