Dr Gauresh, Author at Healthhype

Compound Fracture – Symptoms, Treatment, and Complications

Dr Gauresh — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:04:31 +0000

Compound fractures are not just a type of fracture, but have a completely different entity, when it comes to managing their symptoms and complications. Not only are they prone to develop several complications, but they have some peculiar symptoms, which if noted, herald the onset of a multitude of interventions by several specialist surgeons. Treatment measures have to be tailored according to the type of compound fracture and the patients general condition to tolerate them. An unsuitable match between these variables can even lead to outcomes more disastrous than the initial injury. Compound Fracture Symptoms Symptoms of compound fractures are mainly due to the open wound and the broken bones within the wound. Certain warning signs and symptoms are to be kept in mind when dealing with compound fractures. These specific symptoms herald the onset of life threatening complications or long term consequences and so indicate a transfer to the ER of a multi-speciality hospital at the earliest. The following list of warning signs can be used for quick reference in case of an emergency. Stretch Pain is the earliest and most definitive sign of compartment syndrome. It necessitates immediate intervention by a multitude of specialists, including a radiologist or [...]

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Compound Fractures – Causes and Types

Dr Gauresh — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:53:29 +0000

Compound fractures are one of the most devastating injuries, which commonly occur due to motorbike and car accidents or similar high velocity injuries. They are not only difficult to recover from, but are also prone to develop several life-threatening infections and complications. The deformities caused by compound fractures, accompanied with the ugly scarring of the wounds, require treatment by an expert orthopedic and plastic surgeon. Otherwise, the stigma of a compound fracture frequently remains lifelong in the form of a non-healing bone infection. What is a Compound Fracture? A bone fracture with an open wound, where the protective barrier of the skin is broken, is called a compound fracture. The wound may either be due to an external injury or a projection of sharp bony edges of fractured bones from the inside. Irrespective of the cause of wound, a break in the continuity of the skin opens the doorway for a host of infectious organisms to enter the interior of a wound. This is the prime reason behind the high rates of wound infection in a person with compound fractures. Picture 1: Compound Fracture (before and after treatment) (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Also in a compound fracture, there is continuous loss [...]

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Thumb Joint Pain Treatment

Dr Gauresh — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 16:30:59 +0000

Effective treatment of thumb joint pain can vary from a simple thumb spica to an advanced microscopic thumb surgery. However, it is the appropriate selection of treatment options, that influences the outcome, much more, than the number of dollars spent on it. Over treatment in the form of aggressive physical therapy, excessive use of splints or medications, is not only linked with a wastage of resources, but can also make an acute injury into a chronic degenerative disorder. Hence, the therapy of thumb joint pain, has to be done by an orthopedist or a physical therapist, depending on the nature of the injury. Once the process of thumb joint pain diagnosis is meticulously completed, an appropriate treatment option can be promptly chosen and executed. The basic principles involved in dealing with a traumatic thumb joint injury, consist of Reduction – which involves bringing back the natural alignment between the broken ends of bones, joints, or ligaments. Immobilization – which consists of maintaining the natural alignment between the injured parts until they heal. Physical therapy – which brings back the lost muscle strength and joint movements with the help of various exercises. Degenerative diseases causing thumb joint pain, have a completely [...]

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Thumb Joint Pain Diagnosis

Dr Gauresh — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:03:31 +0000

Diagnosing the cause of thumb joint pain can be quite tricky due to the several factors that can attribute towards causing it. Many times more than one factor play an important role and have to be modified or eliminated in order to gain full benefit of the treatment. Acute injuries due to a single traumatic incident, are simple injuries as far as diagnosis is concerned. A single x-ray examination in the ER of a hospital can be sufficient to diagnose most of the fractures or dislocations, causing thumb pain. Diagnosis of degenerative disorders, like DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis, RSI of thumb or blackberry thumb, and so on, requires a detailed history into the activities performed by a person. In this step, it is very important to disclose minute details regarding use of cell phones, computers, or other similar gadgets. A few clinical tests may be performed by an orthopedist, to clear the doubt regarding the cause of thumb joint pain. Finkelstein’s Test – is a test for DeQuervain’s disease, where a person is asked to make a fist and the fist is forcibly moved in a direction away from the thumb. The appearance of sharp pain with slight movement indicates a positive [...]

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Kienbock’s Disease Treatment

Dr Gauresh — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:09:56 +0000

Kienbock’s disease is known for a complicated course of treatment. This is mainly because of an absence of consensus among surgeons regarding various treatment options. Another reason for the lack of consensus, is the obscured information regarding the exact cause of the disease. Out of the several treatment options offered for Kienbock’s disease, none of them may provide complete relief from all Kienbock’s disease symptoms. Hence, each treatment option is tailored according to the patient’s requirement, to achieve a specific purpose, which eventually improves the functions of the hand and wrist. One should always keep this in mind, and have some amount of patience and understanding towards the efforts of the orthopedist and be open to try out several modes of therapy, either alone or in combination. The relentless nature of the symptoms along with the tedious process of investigations, frequently leaves a person frustrated, which may even be followed by depression. Every new treatment option, involves a separate surgery, which is not quite comforting to a patient, especially after a couple of failed surgeries. This not only influences on the course of the disease, but is also responsible for a bad outcome due to the relative ignorance of the [...]

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Thumb Joint Pain Causes

Dr Gauresh — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:38:56 +0000

Thumb joint pain is a highly discomforting and distressing symptom. It leaves a person perplexed, when it comes to performing even trivial daily activities, like brushing, writing, and so on. Several unsaid human gestures utilize the thumb, in good proportion, to ask for a free ride (hitchhiking), express dissent (thumbs down) or give a simple reassurance (thumbs up) to someone. Thus, apart from its help in gripping objects, the thumb is an important part of our social life too. Hence, thumb pain or inability to use the thumb greatly loosens the grip on our daily routine. Due to the short length of the thumb and an innate human reflex to protect it, there are relatively few situations, where the thumb is actually injured. Thumb joint pain can be due to traumatic as well as degenerative causes. Sports injuries are a special type of thumb injuries, and can be due to an acute cause or repetitive use over a prolonged period. These injuries not only affect the career profile of a player, but can sometimes force a player to take premature retirement from the game as well. Hence, thumb injuries, or rather any type of thumb joint pain, should not be [...]

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Finger Pulse Oximeter

Dr Gauresh — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 11:07:09 +0000

A finger or digit pulse oximeter is a non-invasive device for measuring the oxygen content of blood, also known as oxygen saturation. It is a highly portable device, which is indispensable for any emergency room or operation theater. Oxygen saturation is a measure of the body’s ability to pump oxygenated blood to all parts. Falling values of oxygen saturation may result from circulatory or respiratory failure and have to be instantly corrected. Inability to do so results in prompt loss of consciousness and even death due to insufficient supply of oxygen to brain. Hence, a finger pulse oximeter is a life-saving device ! Finger Pulse Oximeter Principle A finger pulse oximeter consists of a clothes pin (or clothes peg) like arrangement of a plastic probe, which fits over the finger nail (Picture 1). One of the prongs contains two diodes, one emitting infra-red light and the other emitting red light. When this light passes through the finger tip there it is partially absorbed by the blood passing through the finger tip. The difference between the amount of red and infra-red light absorbed is related to the content of oxygen in the blood. Picture 1: Finger Pulse Oximeter (Source: Wikimedia Commons) [...]

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Sore Elbow – Tendonitis and Arthritis

Dr Gauresh — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:15:39 +0000

Sore elbow is an acutely inflamed elbow that is painful and stiff, caused by a variety of traumatic and degenerative diseases. Sore elbow due to injuries like fracture and dislocation have been discussed separately. Degenerative conditions, like elbow tendonitis and elbow arthritis, are also common causes of a sore elbow. Though, the pain in these conditions is not as severe as that due to elbow injuries. But it is non-specific and longstanding with no form of therapy being able to offer a complete relief. An important reason for continuance of symptoms despite several therapies is due to reliance on the easier route of drug therapy and ignorance of the cumbersome physical therapy. Elbow Tendonitis Elbow tendonitis is commonly known by names like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and so on. Though, tennis and golf players are known to get this disease, it is becoming increasingly common in non-athletes and sedentary workers. Elbow tendonitis on the inner side of the elbow is golfer’s elbow, which is relatively less common. Tendonitis on the outer side of the elbow is tennis elbow and is more common because several muscles are attached at a single point. This is called the common extensor origin, which is [...]

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Sore Elbow due to Injuries like Fracture and Dislocation

Dr Gauresh — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:38:12 +0000

Elbow injuries in the form of fracture and dislocation are a common cause of sore elbow, and can occur after a fall on the elbow or a bike accident. Children are especially susceptible to these injuries as elbows are more accessible to injury while playing. Moreover, the elbow of a child is not well developed and contains mainly cartilaginous tissue, which is not as hard as bones. Elbow movements are quite complex, occurring in different planes, like bending of the elbow as well as forearm rotation in screwing movements. Elbow anatomy deals with the unique arrangement of elbow bones to provide all these movements. Elbow Anatomy The elbow joint is formed by the lower end of the arm bone humerus, and the upper ends of forearm bones radius and ulna. The upper end of ulna is called olecrenon, and upper end of radius is called radial head. Thus, it is a combination of ulno-humeral, radio-humeral, and radio-ulnar joint. Each of this joint is of a different type and contributes to a particular movement. Ulno-humeral joint is a hinge joint and provides the bending movement. Radio-humeral joint is a ball and socket joint and helps in forearm rotation as well as [...]

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Knee Cap Pain and Types of Kneecap Injury

Dr Gauresh — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:46:34 +0000

What is knee cap pain? Knee cap or patella is a triangular rounded bone present in front of the knee. It is formed because of friction between the quadriceps (muscle group on front of thigh, which helps in knee straightening or extension) tendon and the knee joint. Such a bone is called a sesamoid bone and patella is the largest sesamoid bone of the body. The mere presence of patella leads to an increase in the mechanical advantage of knee extension. As the bone glides over the knee joint during movement, a dynamic stability is added to the knee joint and the direction of pull from the thigh muscles is constantly maintained. Hence, we have tremendous control over our body during knee straightening. This helps us to stand, sit, and perform kicking movements (like playing soccer) with precise control and the ability to voluntarily stop the movement and sustain the position at any point. Thus, the knee cap is indispensable for an accurate functioning of the knee joint for various activities. Picture 1: Knee cap from front and side (Source: Wikimedia Commons) Knee cap pain is specifically related to diseases of the patella and the patellar ligament (also called patellar [...]

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