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Fracture and Trauma Care

Hip Fracture Surgery

Urgent repair or replacement of a broken hip, with fixation for fractures that will heal and partial or total hip replacement for those that will not.
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Fracture and Trauma Care

Tibia Fracture Repair

Fixation of shin bone fractures, from the knee to the ankle, with a rod, plate and screws or a temporary frame, so the leg heals straight and bears weight again.
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Fracture and Trauma Care

Femur Fracture Repair

Fixation of thigh bone fractures with an intramedullary rod or plate and screws, from high-energy shaft fractures to fragility fractures around the hip and knee.
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ContactTalk toa real person.
Two clinics, one number to call or text. Same-day appointments for acute injuries whenever we can. The front desk will match you with the right surgeon.
Call801-640-0000
TextSend a text
Provo1055 N 300 W, Ste 104
Orem700 W 800 N, Ste 330
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What it is

Tibia Fracture Repair

The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg.
It breaks in skiing and motorcycle crashes, falls from height, sports collisions and car accidents, sometimes with an open wound over the bone.Shaft fractures are usually fixed with a rod down the center of the bone. Fractures into the knee (plateau) or ankle (pilon) are rebuilt with plates and screws, sometimes after a temporary frame fixed outside the leg.
Performed by
Kevin Christensen, MD, Knee, Shoulder and Sports Medicine surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. ChristensenKnee, Shoulder and Sports Medicine
J. Ryan Taylor, MD, Shoulder and Sports Medicine surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. TaylorShoulder and Sports Medicine
Jeffrey Wallentine, MD, Joint Replacement surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. WallentineJoint Replacement
Daniel Hoopes, MD, Foot and Ankle surgeon at Ridgeline Orthopedic Specialists
Dr. HoopesFoot and Ankle
Request an appointment
or call801-640-0000
Tibia Fracture Repair

Who It Helps

Displaced, unstable or open tibia fractures, and fractures that extend into the knee or ankle joint, almost always need surgery.Stable, well-aligned fractures with intact skin can heal in a cast or brace, with close X-ray follow-up to be sure alignment holds.
Tibia Fracture Repair

What to Expect

Surgery under general or spinal anesthesia, usually one to three hours.Open fractures are cleaned urgently, and swollen joint fractures may be staged: a frame first, definitive plating once the soft tissue recovers.Hospital stays range from one night for a shaft fracture to several days for complex injuries. A splint or brace protects the leg early.Ski and motorcycle season bring most tibia fractures to Utah Valley hospitals; our surgeons fix them where you were admitted and follow you in Provo or Orem. Dr. Christensen, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Wallentine and Dr. Hoopes operate at Utah Valley Hospital and Spanish Fork Hospital.
Tibia Fracture Repair

Recovery Timeline

Shaft fractures fixed with a rod often allow early weight bearing; joint fractures need six to twelve weeks of protected weight bearing while the surface heals. Therapy keeps the knee and ankle moving from the first weeks.
Bone healing takes three to six months. Return to running, impact sport or heavy labor follows at six to twelve months depending on the fracture and the joint involved.
Milestones
Week 0 to 2Splint, swelling control
Week 2 to 6Motion, protected weight
Month 3 to 6Bone healed on X-ray
Month 6 to 12Impact sport, labor
Tibia Fracture Repair

Risks and Considerations

Infection, especially after open fractures, blood clots, compartment syndrome early, stiffness, nerve or vessel injury, hardware irritation and delayed healing or nonunion are the main risks.Fractures through the knee or ankle surface raise the long-term risk of arthritis. Smoking measurably slows tibia healing and is addressed before and after surgery.
Tibia Fracture Repair

Your Surgeons

Dr. Christensen, Dr. Taylor, Dr. Wallentine and Dr. Hoopes perform this procedure at Utah Valley Hospital, Spanish Fork Hospital, American Fork Hospital, Mountain View Hospital, Timpanogos Regional Hospital and Orem Community Hospital.
Dr. Christensen, MD
Andrews Institute sports medicine fellowship under Dr. James Andrews. Board certified in orthopedic surgery and orthopedic sports medicine. Fluent in Spanish.
Dr. Taylor, MD
Dual fellowship trained in sports medicine and in shoulder and elbow surgery. Former Division I football player.
Dr. Wallentine, MD
Thirty-four years in practice. Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement. Stanford sports medicine fellowship. BYU athletics team surgeon.
Dr. Hoopes, MD
Fellowship trained in foot and ankle surgery at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center. Twelve years in practice.
Tibia Fracture Repair

Related Procedures and Conditions

Fracture Fixation (ORIF)
Ankle Fracture Repair
Femur Fracture Repair
Post-Traumatic Arthritis
Request an appointment
or call801-640-0000
ContactTalk toa real person.
Two clinics, one number to call or text. Same-day appointments for acute injuries whenever we can. The front desk will match you with the right surgeon.
Call801-640-0000
TextSend a text
Provo1055 N 300 W, Ste 104
Orem700 W 800 N, Ste 330
Request an appointment
Find a clinic
Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyPrivacy Practices
NondiscriminationAccessibilityGood Faith Estimate