Browse categories and answer follow-up questions to refine your symptom profile.
Immediate priorities
Limb-threatening pattern recognition
Open fracture or open dislocation
Gross contamination
Exposed bone or joint
Vascular compromise
Absent radial pulse
Cool or pale hand
Delayed capillary refill
Compartment syndrome
Pain out of proportion
Pain with passive finger stretch
Tensely swollen forearm
Irreducible dislocation
Skin puckering
Mechanical block to motion
Immediate actions for limb threat
If absent pulse or ischemic hand, immediate reduction attempt then reassess perfusion
If perfusion fails to normalize, emergent orthopedic and vascular consultation
If compartment syndrome concern, emergent fasciotomy pathway activation
If open injury, initiate antibiotics and tetanus prophylaxis then urgent orthopedic consultation
Cover sterile dressing
Minimize repeated manipulations
Analgesia and sedation strategy
Early multimodal analgesia
Paracetamol oral or IV
NSAID if no contraindication
Opioid titration for severe pain
Reduction planning
Procedural sedation if needed for muscle relaxation and pain control
Regional anesthesia option if expertise available
Intra-articular local anesthetic option for selected simple dislocation
Neurovascular escalation triggers
Neurovascular status checkpoints
Pre-reduction exam documentation
Radial pulse and ulnar pulse
Capillary refill
Median nerve motor and sensory
Ulnar nerve motor and sensory
Radial nerve motor and sensory
Post-reduction exam documentation
Immediate repeat of full neurovascular exam
Persistent deficit after reduction triggers urgent orthopedic consultation
Vascular imaging triggers
Persistent pulse deficit after reduction
CT angiography upper extremity or urgent vascular Doppler
Vascular surgery consultation
Consultation and time-critical decisions
Orthopedic consultation triggers
Complex dislocation with fracture
Radial head fracture
Coronoid fracture
Olecranon fracture
Distal humerus fracture
Unstable reduction
Redislocation during gentle range testing
Gross varus or valgus laxity
Incarcerated fragment suspicion
Mechanical block after reduction
Persistent incongruent joint on X-ray
Open injury
Neurovascular injury
Transfer criteria
Need for operative fixation not available locally
Vascular injury requiring intervention
Pediatric supracondylar fracture with neurovascular compromise
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.