A Brief Review of the History of Traditional Chinese Medicine Manual Reduction in the Treatment of Fractures

Abstract

Chinese orthopedic surgeons have accumulated rich experience in clinical practice for thousands of years and formed a unique theoretical system and treatment methods, which have been passed down from generation to generation. With the introduction of western plastic surgery technology into China in the mid-19th century, orthopedics of traditional Chinese medicine had a great development. At this stage, traditional Chinese orthopedic surgeons accepted modern western surgical techniques and summed up eight new techniques for bone-setting (traditional Chinese medicine manual Reduction). The history of the development of CO (Chinese osteosynthesis) is briefly reviewed in this article. Instead of pursuing open reduction and internal fixation, CO insists on closed reduction to treat long bone fractures of the extremities. CO pursues functional alignment of fractures, relative fixation, and recovery of the function of the affected limb as the primary purpose. This treatment concept has been widely recognized by orthopedic surgeons in China. This article introduces eight kinds of reduction manipulations for treating long bone fractures under the guidance of the concept of CO, including Touching with Hands; Traction; Rotation, Flexion, and Extension; Lift-pressing and Squeezing; Swing and Percussing; Separating the bones; Folding and Rotation; Massage. It is important that manual Reduction should not be used for open fractures. Attention should be paid to avoid injury of blood vessels and nerves during reduction.