Week 2 day 8

I attended Fracture clinic today, and I was given a message from the Senior Scrub Sister in charge of theatre 4. It read " Tony, there is a foot and ankle Ilizarov chronic reconstruction next Tuesday, you are more than welcome to scrub with Mr R and Mr F and I, if you wish to do so. "

More than pleased with this, I now know other Health Professionals are more than willing to help if they can see students are willing to learn and become involved with what is happening around them.

The Reconstruction is of Congenital Talipes Equinovarus (Club foot), there seems to be some Metatarsal malformation with this patient as well, but until I am able to see the images this is all I know.

Physio with applied Ilizarov Frame.

Today a patient called into the fracture clinic at short notice, and was lucky enough to be seen by the Advanced Practice Nurse. He was instructed last week to start physio on his Radius and Ulna frame, by removing the support bolts from time to time.

This would allow him to gently mobilise his wrist and help to generate new bone growth. He came in to say it was giving him increased pain throughout his Forearm, with neurology in the hand. This is very common due to physiological disruption within the forearm, either from the trauma or the surgery.

He was supposed to remove them for a few hours at a time, and then place them back for support. He made the mistake of leaving them out for longer and even over night, were he received a very disturbed sleepless night. Information and councelling is given to all patients who recieve this treatment, so if they wish to ignore this, it can only be one persons fault.