Bone Fracture Surgery in India

Open reduction internal fixation, or ORIF, is a surgical procedure used to treat fractures that are too displaced, unstable, or complex to heal correctly with a cast or splint alone. "Open reduction" means the surgeon accesses the fracture directly to realign the bone fragments into their correct position, and "internal fixation" refers to the plates, screws, rods or pins used to hold the bone securely in place while it heals.

When surgery is needed

Not every fracture needs surgery; many heal well with casting or splinting. ORIF is generally recommended for fractures that are significantly displaced or shattered into multiple pieces (comminuted), fractures involving a joint surface, fractures that failed to heal properly with conservative treatment, or fractures in bones such as the femur, tibia, humerus, pelvis or hip that are unlikely to align and stabilise correctly without surgical fixation.

Types of fixation

The specific hardware used depends on the bone and fracture pattern. Plates and screws are commonly used for fractures near joints or in the arms. Intramedullary nails, rods inserted through the centre of long bones such as the femur or tibia, are often used for fractures along the shaft of these bones. In select cases, particularly open fractures or those with significant soft tissue damage, external fixation may be used first, with pins placed in the bone and connected to an external frame, sometimes followed by internal fixation once the injury has stabilised.

Why prompt treatment matters

Fractures generally heal better and with fewer complications when treated promptly rather than delayed. Waiting can allow bone fragments to heal in a poor position, increase the risk of nerve or blood vessel complications in certain fracture types, and make eventual surgery more complex. If you have a fracture that has been advised to need surgical fixation, earlier treatment generally supports a smoother recovery.