Broken and dislocated bone due to accident. Any experience with surgery waiting times?(public hospital)

axn on 12/07/2021 - 18:20
Last edited 12/07/2021 - 18:21

Hi,
Had a nasty crash on the road bike due to the front wheel getting caught between the tram tracks. I flew off the bike, grazed the legs and dislocated my thumb badly. I was transported to the hospital by an ambulance (due to fear of internal injuries), did an X-ray and the nurses patched me up. Everything took around 4 hours and they were extremely friendly. The nurses told me that I need a surgery and an appointment has been confirmed in a couple of days with the specialist(public). I am just wondering any of you guys experienced a similar situation and how soon you got your surgery done after the initial meeting with the specialist.

Thanks in advance

Health & Beauty

Comments

  • SF3 on 12/07/2021 - 18:33

    Ask the hospital?

    • axn on 12/07/2021 - 18:37

      No info given by them aside from the appointment

      • SF3 on 12/07/2021 - 18:42

        Call and ask?

      • morse on 12/07/2021 - 19:10

        Yeah you should be fine with the appointment presuming you don’t have any questions about how to manage it in between. If you do call an ask to speak to someone in orthopaedics or hand surgery. You’ll probably get put through to the wrong area multiple times, unless you were given a phone number. If you haven’t heard re appointment or are in significant uncontrolled pain, call back, see your gp or if that doesn’t work go to ED.

        Specialists at public hospitals are often the best and work a combo of public/private. For an acute injury you should be seen soon. Not sure about vic, but in Queensland you’ll get all your aftercare physio/OT free and quickly in the public system, whereas you’d be out of pocket privately.

        • axn on 12/07/2021 - 19:34
          +3

          Yes, I did call and ask. They told me they can’t book an appointment until a specialist has seen my medical report. 30 mins later, I got a text message for an appointment in a couple of days time. The staff were friendly and helpful. Hopefully I can get a surgery done asap.

          • morse on 12/07/2021 - 20:08

            @axn: Yep, hopefully, all the best with your recovery. If you’re concerned just call back, they sound like a good crew and should have you sorted soon. If you’ve got a lot pain, see your/a gp in the meantime.

          • SydStrand on 12/07/2021 - 20:21
            +2

            @axn: Other than a trauma surgeon, a specialist will have appointments like any other physician. A 'couple days' is quite a short wait time. Just be thankful you didn't have an elective surgery due this time last year.

  • Morien on 12/07/2021 - 18:39

    Location?

    • axn on 12/07/2021 - 18:42

      Box hill hospital

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 12/07/2021 - 19:39
      +19

      Location?

      No, dislocation.

  • deme on 12/07/2021 - 18:40
    +2

    You'll be fine it's all triaged so when you hear of people waiting for hours it's because they went to a hospital because they had a cough.

    I was shit scared when I was there for an emergency and overheard someone say they had been there for 4 hours and that they're thinking about going home.

    I got seen to in less than 5 minutes.

    Just remember the liberal government is constantly defunding our hospitals so if you want our hospitals to continue to be great don't vote liberal

    • BugsBunnyAUS on 12/07/2021 - 19:38
      +7

      ALP state government in VIC.

      Seriously, no one asked for or wants politics in this thread.

      • Bob Svargis on 13/07/2021 - 10:18

        Not to mention that the comment wasn't correct anyway.

      • thereyougo on 13/07/2021 - 15:32

        Federal and state gov fund public hospitals. Federal Liberal gov cut funds to Vic Labor public hospitals, give extra funds to NSW Liberal public hospitals. Easy. Don't vote Liberal.

  • datafellows on 12/07/2021 - 18:52
    +1

    It greatly depends on which hospital it is but in your case I think the specialist determines the date the operation will be performed.

  • Jugganautx on 12/07/2021 - 18:56

    If its a broken leg or hand knuckles that need to be put back with surgery i think i waited less than a fortnight from 1st emergency session to actual surgery.

    They'll make you wait in a conveyor line until its your turn, and if not you'll wait 5-7 hours like i did in day surgery for them to say sorry we had an emergency and you'll have to come back next week. Offer you some piece of shit tuna sandwich because you had to fast since 8am and be oh so sorry.

    • Mechz on 12/07/2021 - 19:01
      +3

      Sorry for your pain and suffering. I'll notify the ambulances with the dying to circle the hospital until you've been seen to next time.

      • Jugganautx on 12/07/2021 - 19:18
        +1

        I think the worst of the pain was from watching day time cooking shows on their TV.

        No phones were allowed.

        • arkie0 on 12/07/2021 - 19:30

          Sucks when you're too poor for private health

          • Jugganautx on 12/07/2021 - 19:33
            -1

            @arkie0: Private health is for suckers, i don't see your point. My sister had to wait 10 hours for a planned c section in private health.

            • arkie0 on 12/07/2021 - 19:35
              +1

              @Jugganautx: Yeah but this sucker doesn't get a pos tuna sandwhich and pos tv to watch.

  • thatonethere on 12/07/2021 - 19:12

    Could be a week. If the injury is patched enough that you aren't dying they will schedule you most likely.

  • mafroew on 12/07/2021 - 19:19

    Edit: read road bike as motorcycle

  • BoneDr on 12/07/2021 - 20:32
    +2

    All fracture referrals get triaged to an appropriate fracture clinic based on the xray/other imaging once reviewed by the specialist team. If you injure it on the weekend, most will have a clinic date within the following week.

    Not all injuries require surgery, take opinions from an emergency doctor or nurse with a pinch of salt and await an opinion from the relevant hand team in clinic who see and deal with these injuries for a living. Most hand surgery for acute fracture is generally speaking best performed within 10-14 days as it becomes more difficult after that time due to early healing. No hard and fast rules there though.

    Best of luck.

    • axn on 12/07/2021 - 21:01

      Thanks. Your comment is accurate based on what I am experiencing so far. I have yet to see a specialist and will be seeing one in 2 days.

      looks like Bennett's fracture from the discharge report.

      PS: are you a bone specialist?

      • thatonethere on 12/07/2021 - 21:26

        Only has 3 comments all bone related…

        • BoneDr on 13/07/2021 - 12:31

          Lol yea.

  • poohduck on 12/07/2021 - 21:35

    Bicycle or motor bike? If motorbike and registered you're covered by MAIB; you can go where you want!

    • axn on 12/07/2021 - 21:53

      Bicycle

  • brad1-8tsi on 13/07/2021 - 12:01

    NSW, Royal North Shore Hospital.

    GF broke wrist Friday afternoon of last long w/e. Went home from ED with pain killers late Friday night (no beds).

    Nil By Mouth from 7.00am saturday. Arrived hospital 11.am saturday. Waited until 7.00pm and advised they thought she would be the last in theatre but an emergency caesarian had come in.

    Hospital overnight on some heavy duty pain management.

    In theatre 10.30am sunday

  • OzHunterNSW on 13/07/2021 - 12:07
    -1

    Obviously no experience in riding a motorcycle.
    You need to visit your doctor, may need an X-ray, then possibly surgery, if required.

  • TrustNoBody on 13/07/2021 - 17:38

    My son went to hospital with a broken wrist and he needed surgery to realign it , it would of been done that day but he had eaten so the next day it was done and then had appointments with outpatients and then a specialist in her rooms when it was time to get the caste removed.,,
    This was bankstown nsw

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