Reduction (orthopedic surgery)
Encyclopedia
Reduction is a medical procedure to restore a fracture or dislocation
to the correct alignment. When a bone
fractures, the fragments lose their alignment in the form of displacement
or angulation. For the fractured bone to heal without any deformity
the bony fragments must be re-aligned to their normal anatomical
position. Orthopedic surgeons attempt to recreate the normal anatomy of the fractured bone by reduction.
Reduction could be by Closed or Open methods.
Once the fragments are reduced, the reduction is maintained by application of casts, traction
or held by implants
which may in turn be external or internal. It is very important to verify the accuracy of reduction by clinical tests and x-ray, especially in the case with joint dislocations.
Dislocation (medicine)
Joint dislocation, or luxation , occurs when bones in a joint become displaced or misaligned. It is often caused by a sudden impact to the joint. The ligaments always become damaged as a result of a dislocation...
to the correct alignment. When a bone
Bone
Bones are rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They support, and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells and store minerals. Bone tissue is a type of dense connective tissue...
fractures, the fragments lose their alignment in the form of displacement
Displacement (orthopedic surgery)
Displacement in orthopedic surgery refers to change in alignment of the fracture fragments. In the context of joints, displacement implies that the joint surfaces are not in anatomical alignment....
or angulation. For the fractured bone to heal without any deformity
Deformity
A deformity, dysmorphism, or dysmorphic feature is a major difference in the shape of body part or organ compared to the average shape of that part.Deformity may arise from numerous causes:*A Genetic mutation*Damage to the fetus or uterus...
the bony fragments must be re-aligned to their normal anatomical
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
position. Orthopedic surgeons attempt to recreate the normal anatomy of the fractured bone by reduction.
Reduction could be by Closed or Open methods.
- Open reduction refers to the method wherein the fracture fragments are exposed surgically by dissectingDissectionDissection is usually the process of disassembling and observing something to determine its internal structure and as an aid to discerning the functions and relationships of its components....
the tissues. - Closed reduction refers to manipulation of the bone fragments without surgical exposure of the fragments.
Once the fragments are reduced, the reduction is maintained by application of casts, traction
Traction (orthopedics)
In orthopedic medicine, traction refers to the set of mechanisms for straightening broken bones or relieving pressure on the spine and skeletal system.There are two types of traction: skin traction and skeletal traction....
or held by implants
Implant (medicine)
An implant is a medical device manufactured to replace a missing biological structure, support a damaged biological structure, or enhance an existing biological structure. Medical implants are man-made devices, in contrast to a transplant, which is a transplanted biomedical tissue...
which may in turn be external or internal. It is very important to verify the accuracy of reduction by clinical tests and x-ray, especially in the case with joint dislocations.