Trauma

ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMA

Orthopedic Trauma Specialists treat people who have sustained an injury to the musculoskeletal system.  Common injuries include fractures, ligament tears, tendon tears, and joint dislocations. They also treat the after-effects of such injuries including nonunions (fractures that do not heal), malunions (fractures that do not heal in the correct alignment), infections, and leg-length discrepancies.

Many trauma patients sustain injuries to other parts of their bodies, so we work closely with the general surgery trauma service.  We also work in conjunction with plastic surgeons in cases of complex soft-tissue injuries and with vascular surgeons when injuries occur in the large blood vessels.

Injuries We Treat

 Any fracture of the shoulder (clavicle, scapula and glenoid), arm (humerus), forearm (radius and ulna), leg (femur, tibia, fibula), ankle and foot (talus, calcaneus, metatarsals, Lisfranc joint) and pelvis (pelvic ring fracture/dislocation, sacral fracture, and acetabulum)

• Joint dislocations such as shoulder dislocations, hip dislocations, knee dislocations, and foot and ankle dislocations.

• Problems that arise after a fracture including nonunions, malunions, and infections.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Some fractures and dislocations - particularly in the clavicle, scapula, humerus, wrist, hand and foot - can be treated nonoperatively (without surgery).  These fractures can often be healed with casts, braces, or splints.  Additionally, we work closely with physical therapists to optimize early range of motion in the joint to prevent stiffness and weakness.

Minimally Invasive Procedures and Techniques

• External Fixation – External fixation involves the placement of pins into bone and then connecting the pins to bars on the outside of the skin.  This is often temporary and used when it is unsafe to perform definitive surgery immediately, as in the case of periarticular fractures (those in and around joints), where soft tissue swelling may preclude early surgery. 

• Other types of external fixators (small wire fixators) are used for certain nonunions (fractures that do not heal), malunions (fractures that do not heal in the correct alignment) and bone transport.

• Intramedullary rodding – commonly used for fractures of the femur and tibia.  This procedure is done with small incisions and often allows patients to bear weight on the extremity soon after the surgery.  The rod is placed inside the canal of the bone and then screws are placed through the rod and bone to maintain alignment of the limb.  Additional casting is not needed.

• Plates and screws – This is most often done when the break is in or near a joint, which includes certain shoulder and elbow fractures, forearm fractures, hip fractures, knee fractures, and ankle fractures.  The fracture is reduced to its proper position, and a plate with screws is used to hold the fracture in place until it heals.

To schedule an appointment, patients may contact our scheduling department at 239-334-7000