ORIF
Medical abbreviation · Musculoskeletal & Rheumatology
| Stands for | Open reduction and internal fixation |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
ORIF stands for Open reduction and internal fixation, a musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviation.
Orthopedic operation that exposes a broken bone, realigns the fragments (reduction) and holds them with plates, screws, rods or wires (internal fixation). It is used for displaced, unstable or joint-involving fractures that would not heal properly in a cast.
Example: Trimalleolar ankle fracture, s/p ORIF with lateral plate and medial malleolar screws; NWB 6 weeks.
Usage notes
Pronounced as letters, or sometimes "OR-if". Closed reduction, by contrast, realigns bone without an incision. Hardware is often left in place permanently unless it causes symptoms. The AO Foundation, founded in Switzerland in 1958, established many of the principles of modern internal fixation.
Related abbreviations
More musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations
- MTSS – Medial tibial stress syndrome
- MUA – Manipulation under anesthesia
- NOF – Neck of femur (fracture)
- OA – Osteoarthritis
- OCD – Osteochondritis dissecans
- OI – Osteogenesis imperfecta
- PFPS – Patellofemoral pain syndrome
- PJI – Periprosthetic joint infection
- PM – Polymyositis
- PMR – Polymyalgia rheumatica
- PRP – Platelet-rich plasma
- PsA – Psoriatic arthritis
See all 71 musculoskeletal & rheumatology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.