Decision Report 201401580

Summary

Mr C broke his tibia (shin bone) while playing football and was admitted to Wishaw General Hospital. His injury was assessed and it was decided to move the bone into place before setting it with a full plaster cast. Mr C attended regularly at an out-patient clinic so that the healing process could be monitored. Over the following months the style of Mr C's cast was changed and he was given exercises to do. Mr C also attended at A&E on a number of occasions due to discomfort from his casts. Although there had been some signs of healing in the weeks following the injury, this did not progress and it was decided that surgery was necessary to fix the fracture using a nail.

Mr C complained that his fracture should have been nailed immediately after the accident. After taking independent advice on this case from one of our medical advisers, we did not uphold Mr C's complaint. Our adviser said that the treatment that Mr C had received was reasonable in the circumstances and fell within the range of normal practice for the management of this type of fracture. The adviser considered that the casts and exercises that Mr C had been given were appropriate for the management of his injury.