scaphoid fracture concerns! someone please help!

[jwags]

hello i am new to this forum and joined just to ask a few important questions concerning my scaphoid fracture(i forget the name but i broke it at the back of the bone were there is the worst circulation). i broke it about 2 1/2 years ago and it went undiagnosed for about a year. well last year i had my first surgery on it that consisted of a bone graph and a screw being put into place to try and make it heal. for that next year i wore a bone stimulator for 10 hrs a day after i got my cast takin off which was on for about 8 weeks total. well after that entire year there was no fusion of the bones which left a gap between the two pieces of bone and the screw. now, just about 3 weeks ago i had a second surgery that consisted of mixing manufactured bone cells with blood takin from my hip to try and grow new bone to bridge that gap. my doctor never told me to stop any of these activities but now i am worried that they could of caused the non-union the first time and dont want to repeat this mistake again.

1. will drinking alcohol affect any new bone growth or ruin the surgery all together?

2. since the cast i have on dosnt emobolize my thumb and fingers i can still play video games. will the over use of my fingers and thumb affect the healing process?

3. finally, i dont do it very often and i quit smoking marijuana (please dont judge me on this, i know the health concerns and i am just looking for answers) well before i had this surgery. if i do smoke again (within the next 2 months or so) will this affect any new bone growth and how long should i stay away from the stuff?

o and one last question- if this second surgery isnt a success what is the next step? will i just have to live with the pain forever?

any answers to these questions would be greatly valued. since i havent been able to work for quite some time (because of this) i have been pretty low lately and just want things to return to the way they were before i broke this stupid bone. lol i almost think this thing will never heal and this latest surgery could of been a mistake.

thank you to anyone that responds
maybe you can give me some hope

[Zaynah]

hi

sorry to hear about your injury and good luck with the recovery
first of all, alchohol thins the blood, so it can increase swelling and bleeding. don't drink alchohol the first 6-12weeks after your surgery. After about a month the bleeding and inflammation should start going down and the you can have some moderational use of alchohol.
Secondly, your thumb bones articulates (forms a joint) with a bone just above your scaphoid called the trapezium, and off course the scaphoid and trapezium form a joint. so movement at the thumb-trapezium joint will cause movement at the scaphotrapezium joint (like a chain). So i'll refrain from using the thumb too much.
And the issue of using drugs, this impairs healing off course as it affects your sentral nervous system, ie your brain, and your brain has the power of your body's systems and reactions. so i'll refrain from drugs, expecially while your healing (first 6-12weeks). You don't need withdrawal symptoms from druguse now... So please try to think about what you are doing to your body (your brain).
If graft reconstruction surgery isn't successfull the dr can propose another graft and screw fixation surgery, or arthrodesis (fusion). Fusion should be the last option, if all else fails as this permanentely restricts movement at the small joints and will decrease functional use of the wrist dramatically.

Good luck. Take it easy.

[jwags]

thank you very much for the answers you provided me. ill take everything you said to heart because i sure dont want another surgery. but i was also woundering if i should talk to my doctor about emobolizing my thumb? the only reason i havent asked yet is because the doctor that did my surgey has done over 200 of them and i would think he knows whats best. once again thank you very much
-jwags-

[Zaynah]

hi

i think, that if the surgeon wanted to completely immobilize your thumb aswell, then he would have. But, usually after the kind of surgery you had, the idea is that you keep that hand away from sternous activity, and that if you do experience discomfort, then you should stop with the activity. that does not mean that you shouldn't do your hand exercises (bend and straighten fingers, move the thumb in circles, try to take the thumb over the palm to touch the tip of the index finger like you do picking up small objects etc.). If you do anything with that operated hand, using the fingers or thumb, and you feel any discomfort or pain, then refrain from those activities. i had my wrist (at the scaphoid bone) operated on 2months ago and i had alot of discomfort and pain when i used my thumb, i still have pain when i overuse it to pull up my pants or when i write or type too much. so take it easy.

good luck

[jdjd]

Hello i fractured my scaphoid bone and i am addicted to rock climbing so i cant help but get the urge to exercise to fill the gap i have lost. I am currently doing 5 or 6 sets of 10 pull ups per day (i would go climbing but i thought this would be okay to do) and i am wondering if i should stop?. I have been in this cast for 6 weeks now and at the 4th week there was signs of healing. i am also worried about my left hand, two different people told me it was just a sprain but it has been six weeks now and although the pain is quite a bit less it still hurts occasionally, how can i tell if its just a sprain or more? THANKS!