Orthopedics is the medical specialty that focuses on injuries and diseases of your body's musculoskeletal system. This complex system includes your bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves and allows you to move, work, and be active.
Once devoted to the care of children with spine and limb deformities, orthopedists now care for patients of all ages, from newborns with clubfeet to young athletes requiring arthroscopic surgery to older people with arthritis. And anybody can break a bone. Click the desired underlined links below to find out more.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons AAOS website.
Specialties //
ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY
Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure during which the internal structure of a joint is examined for diagnosis and treatment of problems inside the joint. In arthroscopic examination, a small incision is made in the patient’s skin through which pencil-sized instruments that have a small lens and lighting system (arthroscope) are passed. Arthroscope magnifies and illuminates the structures of the joint with the light that is transmitted through fiber optics. It is attached to a television camera and the interior of the joint is seen on the television monitor.
Arthroscopic examination of joints is helpful in diagnosis and treatment of the following conditions:
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Inflammation: Synovitis, the inflammation of the lining of the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, or ankle
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Acute or chronic injury: Injuries to the shoulder, knee and wrist joint such as cartilage tears, tendon tears, carpal tunnel syndrome
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Osteoarthritis: A type of arthritis caused by cartilage loss in a joint
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Removal of loose bodies of bone or cartilage that becomes logged within the joint
During arthroscopic surgery, either a general, spinal or local anesthesia will be given depending on the condition. A small incision of the size of a buttonhole is made through which the arthroscope is inserted. Other accessory incisions will be made through which specially designed instruments are inserted. After the procedure is completed arthroscope is removed and incisions are closed. You may be instructed about the incision care, activities to be avoided and exercises to be performed for faster recovery.
Some of the possible complications after arthroscopy include infection, phlebitis (clotting of blood in vein), excessive swelling, bleeding, blood vessel or nerve damage and instrument breakage.
Recovery
It may take several weeks for the puncture wounds to heal and the joint to recover completely. A rehabilitation program may be advised for a speedy recovery of normal joint function. You can resume normal activities within a few days.
COMPREHENSIVE FRACTURE CARE
A bone fracture is a medical condition in which a bone is cracked or broken. It is a break in the continuity of the bone. While many fractures are the result of high force impact or stress, bone fracture can also occur as a result of certain medical conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis.
Shoulder, Arm, Elbow
Knee and Leg
Foot and Ankle
Hip
HAND SURGERY
The human hand is an intricate instrument that is both tough and delicate. Its functions of sensations and motion allow us to experience and control the world around us.
Hand surgery is the field of medicine that deals with problems of the hand, wrist, and forearm. Hand surgeons care for these problems with and without surgery. They are specially trained to operate when necessary.
Many hand surgeons are also experts in diagnosing and caring for shoulder and elbow problems.
Hand surgeons are orthopedic surgeons who have additional training in surgery of the hand. To become members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, hand surgeons must take a full year of additional training and must pass a rigorous certifying examination.
Dr. Launikitis is a graduate of the USC/Joseph H. Boyes Hand Fellowship program and trained under the world renowned hand surgeon Dr. Milan Stevanovic, MD, PhD. Dr Launikitis has become an industry leader and pioneer of the Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release and Endoscopic Cubital Tunnel Release technique.
Many studies have been done to determine whether the perceived benefits of a limited endoscopic or arthroscopic release are truly significant. The open technique resulted in more tenderness of the scar than did the endoscopic method. A prospective randomized study using the MicroAire system was conducted in 2002 by Trumble and Diao et al. and revealed that good clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction are achieved more quickly when the endoscopic method of carpal tunnel release is used. Their study concluded that single-portal Endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery is a safe and effective method of treating carpal tunnel syndrome. There was no significant difference in the rate of complications or the cost of surgery between the two groups. However the open technique resulted in greater scar tenderness during the first three months after surgery as well as a longer time until the patients could return to work
Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release:
Endoscopic Cubital Tunnel Release Procedure: