3D imaging ends years of fracture pain

Forearm fractures account for more than 40% of all childhood fractures. A child’s bone is expected to heal more quickly and better than adult bones, but when one girl’s injury healed, it actually caused more problems.

Bridget Murphy is a very active 16-year-old. But four years ago, a trampoline accident gave her the scare of her life.

“I fell the wrong way and broke both bones in my arm,” Bridget said.

“My husband and I, we heard the scream. I’ve never seen a broken bone like that. Her forearm truly went zigzag,” said Bridget’s mom, Colleen Murphy.

Bridget’s parents rushed her to the emergency room and doctors put her arm in a cast.

“They felt that because of her age, it would heal correctly,” Murphy said.

“But it didn’t get that much better and I was kind of disappointed,” Bridget said.

Throughout the years, Bridget’s forearm bowed as it healed, causing a deformity that didn’t allow her to get full range of motion in her wrist.

“I was in pain writing and typing and driving,” Bridget said.

Four years ago, when Bridget broke her forearm, the Murphys wanted to avoid surgery. But surgeon Xavier Simcock, MD, hand and upper extremity surgeon at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, showed them through a 3D model how surgery can fix the deformity.

“I offered her to get a CAT scan and create a 3D model so that I could plan the surgery for her to hopefully improve her motion,” Simcock said.

The surgery worked on the 3D model, and then on Bridget’s arm.

“And we’re much faster because we know exactly where we’re going to put the bone, we’ve done all the hard work beforehand,” Simcock said.

After surgery, Bridget had to do occupational therapy.

“Here we are two months later, and she achieved a normal range of motion in her wrist,” Murphy said.

“My arm isn’t impacting my life anymore,” Bridget said.

Forearm fractures are the second leading kind of fractures in children, second to broken collarbones. In adults, arm fractures account for nearly half of all broken bones.

Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Executive Producer; Milvionne Chery, Field Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Roque Correa, Editor