This branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders. The word Orthopedics comes from two Greek words, ortho, meaning straight and pais, meaning child. Originally, orthopedic surgeons dealt with bone deformities in children, using braces to straighten the child’s bones. With the development of anesthesia and an understanding of the importance of aseptic methods in surgery, orthopedic surgeons extended their role to include surgery involving the bones and related nerves and connective tissue.
Orthopedic sometimes spelled orthopedic surgery is surgery performed by a medical specialist, such as an orthopedist or orthopedic surgeon, trained to deal with problems that develop in the bones, joints, and ligaments of the human body.
Some of the conditions and diseases an orthopedic surgeon treats include:
Abnormalities of the fingers and toes.
Back pain, ruptured disks, sciatica and scoliosis.
Bone tumors, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy.
Club foot, bunions, bow legs, knock knees and unequal leg length.
Fractures and dislocations.
Growth abnormalities.
Osteoarthritis.
Osteoporosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Sports or work-related injuries.
Tendon injuries, pulled muscles, bursitis and torn cartilage.
Torn ligaments, sprains and strains.
What Types of Surgeries do Orthopedic Surgeons Perform?
Orthopedic surgeons perform numerous types of surgeries on patients. The range of treatments done by orthopedists is enormous. It can cover anything from traction to amputation, hand reconstruction to spinal fusion or joint replacements. They also treat broken bones, strains and sprains, and dislocations.
Common surgeries include:
Arthroscopy – a procedure by means of special cameras and equipment to visualize, diagnose and treat problems inside a joint.
Fusion – a “welding” process by which bones are fused together with bone grafts and internal devices, such as metal rods to heal into a single solid bone.
Internal Fixation – a method to hold the broken pieces of bone in proper position with metal plates, pins or screws while the bone is healing.
Joint replacement (partial, total and revision) – when an arthritic or damaged joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint called a prosthesis.
Osteotomy – the correction of bone deformity by cutting and repositioning the bone.
Soft Tissue Repair – the mending of soft tissue, such as torn tendons or ligaments.
Types of Orthopedic Surgery
Joint replacements
Joint replacement is a kind of orthopedic surgery known for restoring freedom of movement and eliminate the pain because of degenerated and diseased joints. Hip and know replacement are the most common ones. Due to technological advancements, now-a-days cementless implants are being used for customized fitting to increase longevity. This surgery might not last long and may need a second chance too.
There are various kinds of joint replacement surgeries:
Total hip replacement
Total knee replacement
Total shoulder replacement
Total elbow replacement
Partial Knee Replacement
Wrist replacement
Hand joint (small) replacement surgery
Ankle joint replacement
Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery [MIKRS]
