Common orthopedic surgery procedures

When grouped in terms of affected areas of the body, the common orthopedic procedures involve the hip (for replacement or repair of fractures), wrist (carpal tunnel and fracture), knee (replacement or knee arthroscopy), ankle (fracture), spine (disc surgery and spinal fusion), bones (fracture), and shoulder (tendon repair and arthroscopy). But broadly speaking, orthopedic surgeries are categorized into two types: cold surgeries and trauma surgeries, explains orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Shephard.

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Cold orthopedic surgery is done to correct infection, tumor presence, and arthritis, which are all non-traumatic conditions. These procedures are done at the convenience of both the surgeon and the patient, allowing for optimizing patient health planning and recovery program development. In other words, patients are given the option to go through the procedure at their most convenient time, seek second opinions, or delay it if they want to. Typical types of cold orthopedic surgeries are hip replacement and knee replacement.

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On the other hand, trauma surgeries are done for reconstruction or repair of affected muscle and skeletal structures like nerves, tendons, ligaments, bones, and blood vessels. After a timeline is established, the surgery is scheduled. When blood vessels and nerves are affected, immediate (often within six hours) operation is set. Ankle and knee fractures usually take a week before operation is possible. Patients rarely have the time to seek alternative opinions in trauma surgery cases.

Sometimes trauma surgeries become too complex that they would require collaborative work between various specialists like plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic specialists, explains Dr. Ryan Shephard. This is because complex situations like severed limbs require sensitive medical processes, like re-implantation.

Dr. Ryan Shephard obtained his medical degree from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency specializing in orthopedic surgery at McLaren Macomb in Mt. Clemens in Michigan. Visit this blog for similar reads.