title: Resuming motor vehicle driving following orthopaedic surgery or limb trauma.
abstract: Following elective orthopaedic surgery or the treatment of a fracture, patients are temporarily unable to drive. This loss of independence may have serious social and economic consequences for the patient. It is therefore essential to know when it is safe to permit such patients to return to driving. This article, based upon a review of the current literature, proposes recommendations of the time period after which patients may safely return to driving. Practical decisions are made based upon the type of surgical intervention or fracture. Swiss legislation is equally approached so as to better define the decision.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland. thierry.rod@hcuge.ch
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rod Fleury
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Favrat
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Belaieff
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffmeyer
mesh_terms: D001178:Arthroplasty; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005121:Extremities / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005592:Fracture Fixation; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012449:Safety / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors