This story came out of the UK recently – and I would like to make clear that punching a patient is not an appropriate or effective approach to fixing a cheekbone fracture!
Surgeon who punched patient is fired
Of course most patients sustain these injuries through some kind of trauma, but reproducing that impact doesn’t fix the fracture or help anyone. Some of my patients joke (I think?!) that they imagine that I have to hit them again to put the bones back in place, but I promise that is not what happens. There is more swelling again after the repair, but that’s from my gaining access to the fractures, not from repeat trauma!
Stay safe this Cinco de Mayo!