What is orthopedic surgery?
Orthopedics is a specialty that focuses on conditions affecting your musculoskeletal system, which consists of:
- Bones (including your spine)
- Muscles
- Ligaments
- Cartilage
- Tendons
- Joints
- Nerves
Orthopedic surgery uses surgical interventions to treat problems affecting these parts of your body. Dr. Rottinghaus is an experienced orthopedic surgeon who excels in using the most advanced techniques and technologies to relieve pain and restore function.
What conditions can orthopedic surgery treat?
Orthopedic surgery can treat numerous conditions, from acute injuries like fractures, cartilage tears, and ruptured ligaments to chronic pain problems like arthritis and scoliosis. Specific conditions that Dr. Rottinghaus may treat using orthopedic surgery include:
- Rotator cuff tears
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
- Medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears
- Ruptured Achilles tendon
- Meniscal tears
- Labral tears
You might require urgent surgery for issues like compound fractures, where the bones are protruding through the skin. However, in most cases, surgery isn't the first treatment option.
When might I need to undergo orthopedic surgery?
If you have a musculoskeletal disorder, conservative treatments often can resolve the problem without surgery.
Activity modification, physical therapy, medication, and bracing or splinting have high success rates in treating most orthopedic problems. Steroid injections can help with more persistent conditions.
However, some injuries can’t heal without intervention, for example, complete ruptures of tendons and ligaments and damage to areas of cartilage that lack sufficient blood supply for the tissues to heal.
In other cases, treatments that used to work for you may no longer do so — arthritis that progresses to an advanced stage is the most common problem in this category. These are the times when orthopedic surgery becomes a good option.
What type of orthopedic surgery might I need?
Dr. Rottinghaus performs a range of orthopedic surgeries, including:
Ligament and tendon reconstruction
Tendons and ligaments that part from the bone might require anchoring using grafted material from another part of your body.
Fracture repair
Fractured bones that are out of alignment or so badly damaged that it's impossible to correct them with manipulation might require surgery to reposition the bones. Dr. Rottinghaus can also use pins, plates, rods, and screws to rebuild bones and hold them in place while they heal.
Joint replacement
The primary joint replacement surgeries are hips and knees, but it's also possible to replace other joints like shoulders, wrists, and ankles.
Dr. Rottinghaus performs total, partial, and revision joint replacement using advanced robotic technology, including Smith & Nephew NAVIO® and CORI® systems and the DePuy Synthes ATTUNE® rotating platform for knee replacement.
If you have a musculoskeletal condition and want to see whether orthopedic surgery could help, call Brian Rottinghaus, MD, today or book an appointment online.
