Orthopedic Trauma and Related Musculoskeletal Conditions

Acute trauma is damage done to the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments after an injury. These types of injuries may include:

When assessing these types of conditions, our orthopedic specialists will evaluate the patient and make a decision for the most appropriate treatment. Depending on the severity of the trauma, surgery may be necessary to repair and stabilize the injury. In the cases of more mild injuries, your doctor may recommend splinting, rest and pain management.

It is important to have your injuries assessed by an orthopedic specialist with the expertise to decide on the best approach to treatment, but it is critical to have your care managed in a facility that has the full range of orthopedic services. Our orthopedic nurses routinely care for patient's post-surgery, and we offer the full range of physical therapy and rehabilitative services.

Post-traumatic reconstruction corrects problems such as malunions (bones that have healed incorrectly) and non-unions (fractures that have not healed). Revision surgery (a second surgery to correct complications that may have occurred following the first surgery) is something that no patient wants, but is sometimes necessary.

The surgeons at MedStar Health have routine experience with these types of surgeries following referrals from other orthopedic surgeons throughout the region. As experts in post-traumatic reconstruction, your surgeons will review your medical history, carefully assess the injury, and examine your past medical records. They will be able to recommend a reasonable approach that may treat the original injury, as well as any complications that have arisen since then.

If a joint becomes infected, both the health of the joint and the limb, as well as the overall health of the patient, become an immediate concern. Not all orthopedic specialists are trained to manage and treat infected joints. At MedStar Health, our orthopedic surgeons manage and aggressively treat infections. This often requires additional surgery and a course of antibiotics. While this is unfortunate, it is critical for removing bacteria from the system and maximizing overall health and the chances for achieving a good outcome. Learn more about bone infection, also known as osteomyelitis.