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Commonly Performed Orthopedic Procedures
In addition to joint replacement, the surgeons, operating room teams, nurses and caregivers at Bethesda North and Good Samaritan hospitals have expertise with many other types of orthopedic surgery. These include:
Hand Surgery
Hand surgery deals with problems of the hand, wrist and forearm. Some of the conditions that can be treated by hand surgery are carpal tunnel syndrome, wrist pain and injuries to the hand and wrist.
Shoulder Surgery
The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the human body. However, that flexibility makes this joint susceptible to instability and injury. Surgeons may use arthroscopic surgery – using a camera and surgical instruments inserted through tiny incisions – or open surgery to repair shoulder joints and tendons.
Foot and Ankle Surgery
Surgery of the foot and/or ankle can treat a number of conditions, including:
- Achilles Tendonitis: The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It is the largest tendon in the human body, and the one most frequently ruptured. Surgery may be an option after other, nonsurgical treatments are tried.
- Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle: The foot has more than 30 joints that can be affected by arthritis, causing pain, stiffness and swelling. Surgical options include debridement (cleaning joint of foreign tissue and bone spurs), fusion of the bones in a joint and even ankle joint replacement.
- Bunions: There are many different surgical procedures to treat bunions: painful bumps that form just below the big toe on the inner border of the foot. Each of these procedures can improve the alignment of the big toe and relieve pain.
Bone Oncology Surgery
Cancer that originates in bone is relatively rare, but when it occurs it is often treated with surgery. This surgery usually involves removing the cancer and a small amount of healthy bone surrounding it. Surgical treatment may be combined with radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy.
Trauma and Fracture Care
Treatment for fractured and broken bones depends on the bone involved, the severity of the fracture and whether the fracture is “open” (showing through broken skin) or “closed” (covered by unbroken skin). Treatment can range from a cast that immobilizes the bones as they heal to surgical repositioning of bone fragments.
Spine and Back Surgery
Common types of spine surgery include:
- Spinal Fusion: Surgeons use bone grafts, metal rods and screws to stabilize the spine by fusing together two or more vertebrae. Spinal fusion is used to treat weak or injured vertebrae, slipped or herniated disks and curvature of the spine.
- Disk Replacement: Disks are located between the vertebrae of the spine. They act as shock absorbers and provide strength and flexibility to the spine. In disk replacement surgery, surgeons implant artificial disks to replace degenerated disks. This surgery is used to treat low back pain.
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