Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is surgery to repair some types of broken bones (bone fractures). Your surgeon will insert metal fasteners into your bone to hold the pieces together to make sure it heals correctly. You might live with these implants forever, but some people need another surgery to remove them once their bones heal.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is surgery to repair broken bones (bone fractures). An orthopedic surgeon will realign (set) your bones to their correct position and then secure them in place so they can heal and grow back together.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Not everyone who breaks a bone needs ORIF surgery. Some types of fractures are more likely to need surgery, including:
Bone fractures are usually caused by traumas like falls, car accidents or sports injuries. So, sometimes there isn’t much time to plan before your healthcare providers decide you need ORIF surgery.
What happens before you have surgery to repair a bone fracture depends on a few factors:
If you’re taken to the emergency room after a trauma, a team of providers will stabilize you and treat your injuries in the order of severity, especially if some are life-threatening.
After you’re stabilized, you’ll need X-rays to confirm any fractures. Your provider may also use an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CT scan (computed tomography scan) to look for other injuries.
Before your surgery, you’ll receive anesthesia to numb your body and make sure you don’t feel any pain. An anesthesiologist will give you either general anesthesia to put you to sleep during the surgery or regional anesthesia to numb the area around your broken bone. They may give you other medications to make you sleep if you need regional anesthesia.
Advertisement
ORIF gets its name from the two parts of the surgery:
During ORIF surgery, your surgeon will:
ORIF surgery usually takes at least a few hours from start to finish. It depends on which type of fracture you have and which bone is broken. Larger, longer bones or more severe fractures usually take longer to repair.
After surgery, you’ll be moved to a recovery room. Your surgery team will keep an eye on you for a few hours to make sure you recover from the anesthesia without complications. They’ll also monitor your vital signs and pain level.
Some people who have ORIF surgery go home the same day. You might need to stay in the hospital overnight or for a few days, especially if you have other injuries. Your surgeon will tell you when it’s safe to go home.
Repairing your damaged bone is the most obvious benefit of ORIF surgery. Severe fractures won’t heal correctly without surgery. A bone that doesn’t heal properly is much more likely to break again in the future. Having ORIF makes sure the pieces of your bone are aligned properly. This will give your bone the best chance to heal without long-term complications.
ORIF surgery is usually very effective. Success rates depend on which bone is fractured and the fracture pattern. Studies consistently find that ORIF is the best way to treat severe bone fractures that won’t heal with only immobilization.
Advertisement
Even for rare, complex fractures like broken femurs, ORIF has a high rate of success. One study found that around 75% of people who had ORIF to repair a fractured femur had few or no long-term complications.
ORIF surgery complications include:
It depends on which type of fracture and ORIF surgery you have. Some fractures heal in several weeks. More severely broken bones can take a year or longer. You’ll probably need to wear a cast or splint for a least a few weeks. Talk to your provider or surgeon about what to expect while you recover.
Your surgeon will give you a customized recovery plan, but in general, you should:
Advertisement
After surgery, you’ll feel pain, especially in the first few weeks of your recovery. You’ll feel pain from the surgery itself and pain as your bone begins to heal.
Your surgeon will suggest a combination of prescription pain medication, over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — if it’s safe for you to take them — and acetaminophen to relieve your pain. Your surgeon will tell you how much of each kind of medication you can take each day or in a certain amount of time.
Advertisement
Talk to your surgeon if you feel like you’re experiencing too much pain or if you’re worried about any complications from taking pain medication.
It depends on where you needed an internal fixation. Some people live with the metal pieces inserted in their bones forever. You might need follow-up surgeries to remove them. Ask your surgeon what to expect.
It’s common for screws and plates around joints (especially your ankles) to stay in your bone for the rest of your life. The metal pieces will support your bones even after the fracture heals.
Sometimes, as your bone heals, your body pushes screws or other fasteners closer to your skin’s surface. Talk to your surgeon if you notice pain or other symptoms near the implants.
Call your surgeon or healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Breaking a bone is always scary, and it can be even more of a shock to hear you’ll need surgery to implant pieces of metal into your body. It’s perfectly normal to be worried about healing after a trauma like a bone fracture. But open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is one of the best ways to make sure your bone heals in the correct shape and position.
Don’t be afraid to ask your surgeon lots of questions. They’ll explain which type of ORIF is best for you, how long the metal implants will stay in your bone and can discuss any other concerns you might have.
Last reviewed on 07/29/2024.
Learn more about the Health Library and our editorial process.