My 5th metatarsal broke, should i have surgery? if so, how long will it take to recover? i broke 5th metatarsal 1week ago. dr wants swelling to go down first before i have surgery on it. she wants to place 2 pins in bone. should i have second opinion or d

I : I would say it all depends on the fracture. Most fractures of the 5th metatarsal occur at the base of the bone as a result of an inversion type injury (where you twist your ankle inward). A tendon (peroneus brevis) ataches to the base of the 5th metatarsal, and with such a mechanism of injury, the tendon yanks a piece of bone off the base of the metatarsal. This is actually the single most common foot fracture. Most of the time, the bone is nicely aligned, and only a cast is needed to heal properly. If the bone fragments are displaced, then surgery is necessary to put them back into alignment, and then some sort of internal fixation, like pins or a screw, is used to keep the bone fragments together so they can heal. So if the fracture you have is displaced, surgery is probably the way to go. But if they are not displaced, a simple cast will do it. It's important for patients to have trust in their doctor. If, for any reason, you feel some doubt, by all means, get another opinion. It has always been by feeling that any doctor who gets insulted by their patient requesting a second opinion is not a doctor worth going to in the first place. The whole concept here is about you, and getting better. Egos and especially money shouldn't be playing any role in you getting the best care. Hope this helped. Good luck!

Fracture surgery: A fractured 5th metatarsal bone can need surgery depending on where the fracture is located and if the fracture site is dislocated or not aligned properly. It is common to repair such a fracture with pins or screws. The typical healing process takes 6 to 8 weeks.