Orthopedic medicine can cover a wide range of issues related to our human musculoskeletal system. This system includes muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and additional connective tissues that provide structural support to your body.
As we have 206 bones, approximately 4,000 tendons, 900 ligaments, and 600 muscles in the adult body, the field of orthopedics is indeed vast. Plus, the various types of physicians in this field focus on many subspecialties within orthopedics. A subspecialty, in this case, is when an orthopedic doctor specializes even further, such as hand and arm issues, spinal problems, sports medicine, or joint replacement surgery.
If you have severe or chronic joint pain, and you are wondering how to determine which doctor would be the best for you, consider only the orthopedic surgeons who regularly perform the type of orthopedic surgery you need.
Common Types of Joint Replacements
Joint replacement surgery is a common procedure performed by orthopedic surgeons to treat a variety of orthopedic conditions. Joint replacements involve removing and replacing a damaged joint, and can be done as total joint replacements, or partial joint replacements. Common joint replacement procedures are knee replacements, hip replacements, and shoulder replacements.
Knee Replacements
Knee replacement surgery is a procedure that replaces a damaged knee joint with an artificial one. An orthopedist may recommend a knee replacement to address problems related to overuse injuries affecting the cartilage, tendons, or ligaments, especially in osteoarthritis
Hip Replacements
Hip replacement surgery aims to replace a damaged hip joint with an artificial one. This procedure is commonly performed to address arthritis, fractures, and other hip-related problems.
Shoulder Replacements
Shoulder replacement surgery involves replacing a damaged shoulder joint to restore shoulder function. Orthopedic surgeon can recommend a partial or full shoulder replacement to treat rotator cuff injuries, arthritis, and other shoulder-related conditions. A shoulder arthroscopy can be used to identify issues or injuries in the shoulder socket to identify whether or not surgery is needed.
Other Common Types of Orthopedic Surgery
ACL Reconstruction
The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) reconstruction is another one of the other more common orthopedic surgeries you may encounter. Your ACL is a key ligament in your knee, and it can be damaged during sports or other physical activities. ACL reconstruction involves using a graft to replace the damaged ligament and restore stability and range of motion in the knee joint.
Arthroscopy
This relatively quick procedure allows the surgeon to look inside the joint and identify any issues that may be causing joint pain. Shoulder, hip, and knee arthroscopy are common procedures used to identify issues and diagnose issues for many common orthopedic surgeries.
Fracture Repair
The procedure for surgical repair of a fracture involves pins, plates, and screws, or other special devices. Sometimes more severe fractures require bone grafting, in which case your surgeon may take a small section of healthy bone from elsewhere in your body and insert it into the injured area. This is done to facilitate natural healing of the bone tissue.
There are two main types of fracture repair: One involves placing the hardware internally, and the other which needs external hardware to hold the bone into place as it heals. Both of these types of surgery require the hardware to keep the broken bones in the correct anatomical place. Severe fractures may require external fixation.
Bone Fusion
A fusion is the natural process of facilitating two adjacent bones to fuse as one single bone. The surgery is done to hold the two bone fragments together, and they will heal together as one over time.
Bone fusions are usually performed on the spine, and it is done in order to correct issues like a herniated or “slipped” disc (the rubbery pad between two adjacent vertebrae), spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the space in the vertebrae which house the spinal cord), and other orthopedic conditions which may result in pain if not corrected.
How Does An Orthopedic Surgeon Determine If I Need Surgery?
Orthopedic surgeons consider several factors when determining the best surgical procedure for a patient’s specific injury or condition. Some of these factors include:
Conservative Treatment Outcomes
Before considering surgery, orthopedic surgeons can recommend conservative treatment options such as physical therapy, pain management, and medications. If these treatments do not provide sufficient pain relief or improvement in function, the surgeon may then consider surgical intervention.
Severity of the Condition
The severity of a patient’s orthopedic condition helps determine the treatment path as well. For example, a patient with a minor fracture may not require surgery, but more severe fractures may need a more invasive procedure like bone fusion.
Patient’s Medical History
Orthopedic surgeons will also consider a patient’s medical history, including previous injuries, surgeries, and any underlying health conditions, to determine the best treatment plan.
Age and Activity Level
A patient’s age and activity level also influence the decision-making process. Younger patients or those with high activity levels may benefit from procedures like arthroscopy, while older patients or those with limited mobility may require more extensive surgeries like joint replacement or spinal fusion.
Orthopedic Surgery in Raleigh and the Triangle
Each orthopedic surgeon will generally focus on only one or two particular areas of the body or types of treatment. Therefore, an orthopedic surgeon who focuses on the knee and hip will be able to provide exceptional medical care for patients who need a knee replacement, hip replacement, joint revision surgery for those joints, and even minimally invasive arthroscopy to conduct minor internal joint repairs.
Dr. Brett Gilbert is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon who focuses his practice on treating problems of the knee and hip. He specializes in the following conditions:
- Hip and knee arthritis
- Total joint replacement of the hip or knee
- Osteonecrosis (bone degradation due to a loss of blood flow to the bone tissue)
- Correcting failed hip and knee replacements (revision joint replacement)
- Meniscus tears (cartilage damage in the knee)
- Other orthopedic treatments for the hip and knee
Dr. Gilbert is also available to give you a second opinion if you are questioning the diagnosis or treatment recommended by another physician.
We have three convenient locations in the Raleigh area, including offices in Raleigh, Apex, and Brier Creek. We even offer telemedicine visits for your convenience.
Don’t suffer with your knee or hip condition any longer. Call us today at (919) 788-8797 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Gilbert. You may also use our appointment request form online. We look forward to helping you get back to the active lifestyle you love!
