Examples of
Orthopedic Treatments
The purpose
behind most orthopedic surgical procedures is to
increase and enhance mobility of a joint as well
as to repair damaged bone, muscular, or neural
tissues caused by sports injuries, arthritis,
fractures, and muscle and bone diseases. Common
orthopedic procedures include partial or total
hip replacement surgery, as well as hip
resurfacing surgery, partial or total knee
replacement procedures and those that focus on
hands, elbow, or shoulder joints.
Orthopedics
treatments and surgeries help to treat chronic
diseases such as various forms of arthritis in
the hands, knees and back. For example,
rheumatoid arthritis severely inhibits mobility
in the fingers and hands. Treatments and
surgeries designed to relieve pain and increase
mobility require a team effort from specialists
in orthopedic surgery as well as specialists who
focus on the musculature damage such arthritis
causes.
Knee problems, such as torn cartilage or
tendonitis in the knee joint, caused by sports
injuries are often treated with a combination of
arthroscopy, or a minimally invasive procedure,
or surgical care.
Orthopedic
treatment may help or repair damage to hip
joints caused by traumatic injuries, fractures
or osteoarthritis conditions. Such treatments
may require surgical procedures to replace
broken joints with partial or total artificial
joints, as well as the use of pins or braces to
hold bone sections together.
Sports injuries
such as tennis elbow or baseball elbow may
require treatment to repair damage to the
tendons that attach muscle to bone at these
critical joints in the arm.
Orthopedic
treatments to reduce deformity and increase
mobility of the spine and neck caused by
scoliosis, fibromyalgia, bursitis or arthritis
are common as well. Orthopedic surgery involves
many different techniques and methods for the
treatment of hundreds of bone or joint injuries
and conditions that limit range of motion or
cause pain in men, women and children.
Joint
replacement surgeries have become increasingly
common and allow for the total or partial
replacement of joints. The use of alternative
materials such as plastics, metals, and ceramic
implants provides increased mobility in a great
percentage of surgery candidates.
Common
Orthopedic Surgeries
Orthopedic procedures are generally performed in
an operating room setting under general
anesthesia. Depending on the procedure, an
operation may take anywhere from one to several
hours. Operations require incisions, or cuts,
to exposed damaged muscles, ligaments, bones,
and joints. Sterilized surgical tools designed
to scrape away or remove damaged bone tissue or
ball joints are used during procedures.
Following the procedure, wound areas are sutured
with either a traditional surgical threads or
surgical staples. Surgical sites may be wrapped
or left exposed to facilitate healing. Swelling
and bruising is common, following surgical
procedures, but will be reduced through proper
care and handling within two to three days.
Common
procedures performed to help relieve symptoms
and damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis
includes Osteotomy, where a deformed joint is
surgically realigned, or a Synovectomy, where
inflamed tissues that line the joint are
removed. Such procedures heal relatively
quickly and serve to alleviate pain and increase
mobility in affected joints.
Arthroscopy
involves removing particles of bone or tissue
cartilage that causes pain and restricts
movement. This process involves creating small
incisions on each side of the knee. A tiny
camera in inserted through one incision, while a
thin surgical instrument is inserted in the
other. While it is less invasive than Arthroplasty, or joint replacement surgery,
common in knee or hip replacements and which
involves the removal of damaged bone and
surrounding tissues to be replaced with a
prosthetic joint, various procedures and
severity of conditions will determine which
surgical method is used.
Treatment for conditions such as tennis, golf,
or baseball elbow involves removing a portion of
damaged tendon or releasing the attachment of
the affected tendon. The good news is that most
patients with tennis elbow can be treated
without surgery. A variety of conservative
approach treatments should be tried prior to
opting for surgery, including rest,
anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone
injections, brace support and exercises.
Of course, there
are many more types of procedures and surgeries
that are performed in the orthopedic field.
Depending on the type of orthopedic surgery that
your condition calls for, treatments,
procedures, as well as healing times will vary.
Benefits of
Orthopedic Surgeries
In most cases, recovery from most types of
orthopedic surgery is relatively rapid.
Depending on the specific type of surgery,
recovery time varies from two weeks to four
months. Physical and Occupational therapy
usually follows any type of orthopedic surgical
procedure, which will help restore muscle
strength, coordination, and mobility. Some
physical therapy is also performed through the
use of hydrotherapy and massage.
After orthopedic
surgery that addresses a variety of issues, such
as partial or total joint replacement,
arthroscopy to remove bone or cartilage tissues
as well as procedures to relieve pain and loss
of movement through osteoarthritis or rheumatoid
arthritis, patients can expect a reduction of
pain, increased mobility and improved quality of
life. Success rates with joint replacement and
Arthroplasty are higher than 90%, and longevity
of prosthetic implants provide long-term relief.
Finding the
Right Doctor
Orthopedic surgeons must pass board
certification following oral and written
examinations in their native or adoptive
countries of origin. For example, in the United
States, this is the American Orthopedic
Association, the American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgeons or the American Board of Medical
Specialties.
Following
educational courses and exams, most orthopedic
surgeons or professionals are required to
complete a four-year residency-training program
within a hospital setting. In addition, a
resident is required to pass board certification
exams prior to being recognized by the America
Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. To maintain Board
certification, surgeons must test and pass exams
given every ten years that insures that
continuing education requirements have been met.
Some
orthopedists sub-specialize in fields such as
sports or trauma medicine, while others
specialize in the treatment of arthritis, spinal
cord or congenital defect diseases or
conditions. Such physicians are called
rheumatologists. A rheumatologist typically has
a background in internal medicine and should be
certified by a country or State Board of
Internal Medicine
Surgical Travels
establishes relationships with ONLY the most
qualified and experienced surgeons all over the
world, and Panama is no exception. Our hospital
here is affiliated with Johns Hopkins
University, and they know that maintaining
patient safety and wellbeing is our primary
concern. There are probably “discounted”
facilities and surgeons available in Panama, and
throughout the world… but they are not through
GSN.
