Problems created by conesetters and their management

A retrospective study was carried out in the Orthopaedic Unit of Peoples Medical College, Nawabshah to analyse the incidence and complications created by bonesetters and their management. Out of 744 patients analysed, 213 [28%] were admitted after treatment by bonesetters, females being predominant. The cases treated included 101[57%] simple fractures and 11[6%] compound fractures. Commonest complication seen was gross distal swelling [32%] among traumatic patients and chronic osteomyelitis [43%] among nontraumatic patients. It is concluded that the incidence of cases treated by bonesetters in the rural areas of Sindh is quite high