The goalkeeper landed awkwardly following an aerial collision during Saturday’s Championship clash against Millwall at The Den, which Wrexham won 2-0.
He was knocked unconscious following the incident in added time and after having a lengthy spell of treatment on the pitch, was stretchered off and taken to hospital.
Reds’ boss Phil Parkinson admitted post-match that he was ‘fearing the worst’ and those worries have been confirmed.
“It is really bad news for us with Danny and more importantly for himself,” said Parkinson.
“It is a dislocated elbow but when you do a dislocation, you have ligament damage which needs rectifying.
“He faces an operation on Friday and he will obviously have a significant period of time out.
“I think the specialist has said we won’t know until he has actually done the operation and put a timescale on that but obviously it is a serious injury and our thoughts are with Danny.
“It is part and parcel of football picking up injuries and he will come back at some point this season ready to play his part.”
Ward rejoined home-town club Wrexham in the summer after leaving Leicester City and started the opening four league games of the campaign – Wrexham’s first season in the second tier for 43 years.
He was named in Craig Bellamy’s 25-man squad for Wales’ crucial World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan tomorrow and Parkinson felt the 32-year-old, competing with Leeds United stopper Carl Darlow, was in line for a starting place.
“Danny was all set to go away with Wales,” said Parkinson.
“I think the fact he had been playing (for Wrexham) has got him in a good place for getting back into the Welsh starting line-up.
“I don’t know what Craig was thinking but it is so frustrating for us and for him.
“The goalkeeping department was a problem we didn’t really need so late in the window.”
Arthur Okonkwo or Callum Burton will take over between the posts when Wrexham return to action following the international break against QPR at The Racecourse on September 13.
“We have got two great goalkeepers,” added Parkinson.
“The save Arthur made when he came on (at Millwall for Ward), I’m not sure many other keepers make that save and Callum is a terrific goalkeeper.
“When we brought Danny in, there was maybe talk of Callum going but I sat down with him and said I really wanted him to stay because I feel he has got a part to play.
“If you look at the way he played when he got in the team last year, he was doing great.”