Orthopedic Surgeon

An orthopedic surgeon is a medical doctor specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal system conditions. The musculoskeletal system includes the body’s skeleton, its joints and the associated muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerve systems.

Education

An orthopedic surgeon finishes approximately 14 years of schooling and practical experience. These surgeons will attend four years at an undergraduate school and four years at a medical school. Typically, only the top orthopedic graduates from medical school are selected for residency in a hospital, which lasts about five years. The first year is an internship, involving rotations in several types of surgery. The last four years focus intently on orthopedic conditions, diagnoses, treatments, and surgeries. The last year of education is an optional fellowship, where the trainee can hone in on a sub-specialty of orthopedics, such as spinal, musculoskeletal oncology, surgical sports medicine, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, or total joint reconstruction. After training is complete, an orthopedic surgeon must become board certified in his or her state of practice.

Types of Orthopedic Surgical Procedures

Many orthopedic conditions can be treated with non-surgical methods, such as medications, rest, the use of an orthosis (brace) for support, or a cast to immobilize the affected area. When these options are not sufficient, surgery may be required. An orthopedic surgeon can perform the following types of procedures:

• Soft tissue repair – Surgical soft tissue repair may help restore damaged tendons and ligaments.
• Fusion – Fusion involves harvesting bone from another area in the patient’s body and grafting, or attaching, it to the site of damage with screws and rods. As the bone grows, it fuses with the surrounding bone, eliminating the motion of a painful joint. Spinal fusion is a common procedure.
• Osteotomy – This procedure is used to fix bone deformities or relieve pain from arthritis by cutting and resetting bone to lengthen, shorten or adjust its alignment in the body.
• Joint replacement – Joint replacement surgery involves removing an arthritic or otherwise damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial device, or prosthesis.
• Internal fixation – This procedure uses pins, screws and plates to help fractured bones heal properly.
• Arthroscopy – Arthroscopy, a type of endoscopic surgery, involves a tiny camera inserted through a small incision. This allows an orthopedic surgeon to diagnose and/or treat a condition by “seeing” inside a joint. It may involve the removal of a portion of bone, ligament, or cartilage.

Laser Spine Institute

The orthopedic surgeons at Laser Spine Institute specialize in several minimally invasive procedures to treat a wide range of spinal conditions. Using advanced endoscopic techniques, we have helped tens of thousands of patients rediscover their lives without back and neck pain. Contact Laser Spine Institute today and schedule a complimentary review of your MRI or CT scan.