Complex Fracture Fixation in India

Some fractures break into many pieces, extend into a joint, or happen in places such as the pelvis where alignment is critical. Others were treated earlier but have not joined (non-union) or have healed in a bent position (malunion). International patients often seek care for these more difficult situations.

Surgeons use open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), where the fracture is exposed, lined up and held with metal implants. Intramedullary nails inside long bones and external fixators outside the skin are other options. Bone grafts may be added to help healing.

Approaches: standard, minimally invasive

Open fixation exposes the fracture fully, which suits joint fractures that need exact surface alignment. Minimally invasive fixation uses small cuts and slides plates or nails under the skin, protecting the blood supply around the bone and often speeding healing in suitable shaft fractures. The surgeon chooses based on fracture location and pattern.

• Minimally Invasive Complex Fracture Fixation

Who needs complex fracture fixation

• Displaced fractures entering a joint, such as the knee, ankle or wrist
• Pelvic and acetabular (hip socket) fractures
• Non-union, where a fracture has not healed after many months
• Malunion causing deformity, pain or limp
• Fractures with failed earlier fixation or broken implants
• Fractures with bone infection needing staged treatment

How it is done

1. X-rays and CT scans show the fracture pattern in detail.
2. Anaesthesia is given and the limb is positioned.
3. The fracture site is opened and bone pieces are lined up.
4. Plates and screws, nails or wires hold the pieces.
5. Bone graft is added if there is a gap or poor healing.
6. The wound is closed and the limb protected in a splint or brace.

Before you travel to India

• Send all X-rays and CT scans, including images from the time of injury.
• Share operation notes if surgery has already been done.
• Report any wound discharge or fever suggesting infection.
• Plan for mobility aids and airport wheelchair help.

Recovery and flying home

• Hospital stay varies from a few days to longer for pelvic fractures.
• Weight bearing may be limited for weeks.
• Physiotherapy restores movement and strength.
• X-rays track bone healing over months.
• Flying depends on the fracture and clot risk; the team advises timing.

Risks

• Infection
• Failure of the bone to heal
• Implant failure or loosening
• Joint stiffness or arthritis after joint fractures
• Blood clots

Alternatives

• Casting or bracing for stable fractures
• Joint replacement for some severe joint fractures in older adults
• External fixation as a temporary or definitive option

Conditions treated

• Bone Fracture

Hospitals in India for complex fracture fixation

• Medanta - The MedicityDelhi NCR
• AIG Hospitals, GachibowliHyderabad
• Aster MedcityKochi
• Artemis HospitalDelhi NCR
• Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research InstituteMumbai
• Indraprastha Apollo HospitalsDelhi NCR
• BLK-Max Super Speciality HospitalDelhi NCR
• Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals, KolkataKolkata
• Continental HospitalsHyderabad

How these hospitals compare

Specialists

• Dr Ashok RajgopalMedanta - The Medicity
• Dr Dinshaw PardiwalaKokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute
• Dr Dasaradha Rama Reddy TetaliYashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda
• Dr Attique VasdevMedanta - The Medicity
• Dr Narayan HulseFortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road
• Dr Venuthurla Ram Mohan ReddyYashoda Hospitals, Hitec City

Frequently asked questions

Medically reviewed by The Curaventa Team. Last updated 2026-10-27. General information, not medical advice. Medical editorial board · Editorial policy · How we get prices