In a typical bicycle accident, a bicyclist is thrown or falls off his bike, and may immediately throw his arm out in order to block his fall. When that happens, the bicyclist typically lands on his wrist, placing tremendous pressure on the delicate bones in the joint. One of the several types of wrist fractures that can result is a scaphoid fracture.
Fractures may present risk of various complications. One such risk is avascular necrosis, which is the death of bone tissue because of lack of blood supply in the area.
How does avascular necrosis occur after a scaphoid fracture?
After a scaphoid fracture, there may be a blockage in the supply of blood to the bone in some cases. In such cases, the bone tissue may actually die, leading to the collapse of the bone if not corrected in time.
Pain is one of the earliest symptoms of avascular necrosis. As the pain becomes more constant, it becomes even more severe, and affects the person's ability to use his wrist. This can be one of the more painful complications that may arise out of a scaphoid fracture.
Treatment for Avascular Necrosis
Treatment for this complication may require medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood thinners, and other medications. A doctor may also recommend resting and performing certain exercises to improve the condition.
Some patients who suffer from avascular necrosis will require surgery, which may involve bone grafts that require removing a portion of healthy bone from elsewhere in the body and replacing the damaged bone. Core decompression is another procedure that requires removing part of the inside of the bone so that health tissue and blood vessels can form.
A bone reshaping procedure may be required in some cases to take some pressure off the damaged bone, but ultimately joint replacement may be required if the bone has collapsed.
You Can File an Injury Claim to Recover Damages
Surgical costs, lost wages during recovery from the injury and treatment, as well as pain and suffering and other damages may result from the original scaphoid fracture as well as avascular necrosis. If you have suffered a serious injury and complications after a bicycle accident, you may be eligible to file a claim or lawsuit to recover compensation for these damages.
Speak with bicycle accident lawyer Max Meyers if you're in the Redmond area. Call 425-399-7000 to schedule your consultation or use the form located on our contact page to set up your consultation. We'll help you explore liability, available evidence and the damages you may recover, and then take action to get the claim or lawsuit started.
