My father in law broke his wrist last week (10/23/12) in a car accident. They were able to set it back in place without surgery. They wrapped his arm (no cast) and now his fingers have turned a dark purple. Theyre not numb or cold. What could this be?
Hello, I think this is a problem of poor blood circulation especially venous blood return, due to any strangulation from the bandage, or your father-in-law has not kept the arm elevated above the heart level and that caused edema. Another more rare option is deep vein thrombosis. I suggest you should check immediately this situation with your doctor as it may lead to serious complications. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.