Orthopedic Trauma

Orthopedic trauma care ranges from fractures that are isolated to one bone to severe accidents that involve a multitude of broken bones that could be life-threatening. Normally, when these problems occur, the person who has experienced the trauma needs to visit an orthopedic surgeon. Not all orthopedic surgeons are alike, as many practice specialties, meaning that some orthopedic surgeons may specialize in fractures of the arms, while others specialize in skull fractures.

Complications in Healing

Injuries which are more significant, such as those with multiple bones that are broken, fractures that occur near a joint, and compound fractures are normally more difficult to treat; therefore they will probably require care from an orthopedic specialist. In addition to the injury, people also experience problems with healing of these fractures, therefore resulting in needing to return to the specialized orthopedic surgeon to figure out a better course of action. Some of the setbacks that could occur include infections, healing that is misaligned and when the bone does not heal together at all.

Orthopedic trauma issues that may need treatment from a specialized orthopedic surgeon:

• Fractures that require invasive surgery that is minimal
• Treating malunions (poorly aligned) and nonunions (bone does not fuse)
• Surgery on the Acetabulum and pelvis
• Treating fractures that have become infected
• Lengthening of limbs
• Transplanting the bones and joints
• Bone grafting
• Reconstruction of the complex soft tissue
• Reconstruction of the upper extremities

Options for Treatment

Not all fractures that occur on the human body require specialized care from an orthopedic surgeon. There are complex fractures that could benefit from the knowledge and experience of a general orthopedic surgeon. Technology has expanding the techniques that are used for surgery into high-tech, cutting edge surgical techniques for patients who have suffered a trauma. Some of these treatments include, but are not limited to, external fixation that is advanced, minimally invasive surgery techniques, and utilizing proteins that help to form bones and substitutes for bone grafting.

Non-Surgical Options

There are several types of traumatic dislocations and fractures that can be treated without surgery, mainly associated with the wrist, scapula, foot, hand, clavicle and humerous. The treatment for these fractures and dislocations will be dependent on how severe the fracture or dislocation is. The nonsurgical method that is used to fix these issues is called the external fixation method. When people are wearing medical gear including braces, casts and splints and they have not been through surgery, their doctor has elected to use the external fixation method. This method simply stabilizes the fracture in order to realign and refuse the bones.

Recovering From Orthopedic Trauma

Fractures differ widely in how long they will take to recover. The recovery period will strictly depend on how severe the trauma is and which type of trauma the patient has experienced. As mentioned above, there is a risk of complications in healing, therefore it is always crucial to pay attention to the orthopedic surgeon and follow instructions for after care exactly as instructed to attain maximum healing potential.

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Orthopedic Surgeons Phoenix Az.

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