From Diagnosis to Treatment: What to Expect from Your Orthopedic Surgeon

Orthopedic surgery is a specialized field of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. These can include anything from broken bones and joint injuries to degenerative conditions like arthritis. If you're experiencing pain or discomfort in your bones, muscles, or joints, your primary care physician may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for further evaluation and treatment. But what happens in an orthopedic appointment? In this article, we'll explore what orthopedic surgeons do, how they diagnose and treat various conditions, and what you can do to prepare for your appointment. Whether you're dealing with a sports injury or a chronic condition, understanding the orthopedic care process can help you feel more confident and informed about your healthcare options.

When to see an Orthopedic Surgeon

Patients are often referred to an orthopedic surgeon if they are experiencing persistent, bone, joint muscle, or nerve pain. Similarly, patients are often referred to orthopedic surgery, or schedule appointments on their own, if they can’t walk normally, or if they can’t use their hand, arm, or shoulder well. Some common reasons to see an orthopedic surgeon include:

Joint Pain or Stiffness

If you're experiencing pain or stiffness in your joints, it could be a sign of a joint injury or a degenerative condition like arthritis. An orthopedic surgeon can evaluate your symptoms and recommend treatment options to help reduce pain and improve mobility.

Broken Bones or Fractures

If you've recently suffered a broken bone or fracture, an orthopedic surgeon can help you manage pain, reduce swelling, and promote healing. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may need surgery to repair the broken bone or a cast or brace to immobilize the affected area.

Back Pain

There are many causes of back pain. Primary care doctors will typically refer patients to orthopedics to evaluate for potential structural problems, orthopedic surgeons screen for problems that could potentially lead to irreversible neurologic injury (“risk to life and limb”, which, thankfully, is rare.) In the absence of obvious risk to neurologic function and in the absence of severe dysfunction, treatment usually begins with oral medication, physical therapy, and/or bracing.

Sports Injuries

Athletes, and weekend warriors, are at higher risk for certain types of injuries, including sprains, strains, and fractures. If you're an athlete who has recently suffered an injury, an orthopedic surgeon can help you develop a treatment plan to get you back on the field as quickly and safely as possible.

What to expect during your first Orthopedic consultation

If your primary care physician refers you to an orthopedic surgeon, expect the appointment to start with many questions? Classic medical education teaches doctors to identify OPQRST - onset, provocation/palliation, quality (numbness, tingling, burning, sharp,dull), radiation, severity, and timing. Please, also bring your full medical history including past medical history, allergies, and medications. After taking in patient history, the orthopedic physician performs a physical examination to assess your range of motion, strength, and flexibility. Special maneuvers are used to test the physician's hypothesis on when it could be causing the patient’s pain.

After your initial evaluation, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend additional diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, MRIs, or blood tests. These tests can help your surgeon get a better understanding of your condition and develop an effective treatment plan.

Common Orthopedic surgeries and their procedures

Orthopedic surgery can encompass a wide range of procedures, from minor surgeries to complex surgeries. These may involve open wounds, broken bones, compressed nerves, torn tendons, or worn out joints. Some common orthopedic surgeries include:

Spine surgery

There are four main types of spine surgery. This includes decompression, stabilization, realignment, and fusion. Decompression involves removing mechanical pressure on nerves by removing bone joints, ligaments or discs that are compressing a nerve. This is similar to what happens in a carpal tunnel release. Stabilization involves holding the spine together if it is falling apart or has fallen apart, or is at risk of falling apart and typically involves either plate and screws or rods and screws. realignment pretensive banding the spine back into a more normal functional position. Fusion, most of the time, is aimed at maintaining stabilization, and or realignment, long-term as hardware, or eventually toggle and loosen if the bones they are connecting done, eventually fuse or “weld” together. Another use of fusion is maintaining, indirect decompression that is gained by placing a device in between vertebrae, called an everybody device which separates the vertebrae and essentially stretches the connective tissue around the spinal canal thereby increasing space in the spinal canal. This is called interbody fusion.

Common spine procedures include the following:

• Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)

• Total disc replacement

• Anterior/Lateral Lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF/LLIF/XLIF/OLIF)

• Posterior decompression

  • Foraminotomy

  • Discectomy

  • laminectomy

• Transforaminal lumbar interbody (TLIF)

• Scoliosis correction and instrumented fusion

• Cervical Laminoplasty

• posterior decompression and instrumented fusion

• Kyphoplasty

• Osteotomy

• Corpectomy

Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is a procedure to replace a damaged or worn out knee joint with an artificial joint. This joint resurfacing procedure is usually recommended for patients with severe knee pain and related dysfunction due to arthritis or an injury that cannot be repaired.

Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure to replace a damaged or worn out hip joint with an artificial joint. This joint surgery is usually recommended for patients with severe hip pain and related dysfunction due to arthritis or an injury that cannot be repaired.

Rotator Cuff Surgery

Rotator cuff surgery is a procedure to repair torn or damaged tendons (where muscle attachments to bone) in the shoulder. This surgery is usually recommended for patients with persistent shoulder pain. These patients typically have poor sleep, and a lot of trouble with overhead activity, and reaching behind their back.

Fracture Repair Surgery

Fracture repair surgery is a procedure to set fragments of a broken bone optimally so that they heal together optimally. This surgery may involve the use of screws, plates, or pins to hold the bone in place while it heals.

Orthopedic surgery recovery process

The recovery process after orthopedic surgery can vary depending on the type of surgery you have and your individual health needs. In general however, the recovery process takes about three months and involves:

Early recovery

Sometimes the surgical site will be immobilized to protect it during the initial healing. If there is no mobilization, or after mobilization is over, stretching, and gentle activity is recommended to avoid stiffness, and for general health. Strenuous activity and heavy lifting are typically avoided in the first 6 to 12 weeks. Bedrest is almost never part of the postoperative orthopedic routine.

Pain control

Pain control is an important part of the recovery process after orthopedic surgery. Your surgeon may prescribe pain medication or recommend other strategies, such as ice or heat therapy, to help manage pain and reduce swelling.

Follow-up Appointments

After your surgery, you'll need to attend follow-up appointments with your orthopedic surgeon to ensure that you're healing properly. Your surgeon may recommend additional diagnostic tests or adjustments to your treatment plan as needed. some postoperative issues do not show up until late so it’s important to keep postoperative five appointments until you’re surgeon thinks that you’re in the clear.

Physical therapy after Orthopedic surgery

Physical therapy can be an important part of the recovery process after orthopedic surgery, depending on the surgery. Your physical therapist will work with you to develop a customized exercise program to help you regain strength, flexibility, and mobility. Some common physical therapy exercises after orthopedic surgery include:

Stretching

Stretching exercises can help improve flexibility and range of motion in the affected area.

Strengthening/Conditioning

Strengthening exercises can help improve muscle strength and reduce the risk of future injuries. they should be avoided until the surgical site is strong enough to withstand the force of strenuous activity.

Balance and Coordination

Balance and coordination exercises can help improve stability and reduce the risk of falls or other accidents.

Orthopedic surgery risks and complications

Like any surgery, orthopedic surgery carries some risks and potential complications. Some common risks and complications associated with orthopedic surgery include:

Infection

Infection is a risk with any surgery, and orthopedic surgery is no exception. Your surgeon will take steps to reduce the risk of infection, such as using sterile techniques and prescribing antibiotics as needed.

Blood Clots

Blood clots are a risk after any surgery. Your surgeon may recommend compression stockings or blood thinning medications to reduce the risk of blood clots. please remind your surgeon if you have a history of blood clots in the past or any recent cancer history.

Nerve Damage

Nerve damage is a rare but potential complication of orthopedic surgery. Your surgeon will take steps to minimize the risk of nerve damage, such as using careful surgical techniques and monitoring nerve function during and after surgery.

Questions to ask your Orthopedic Surgeon

Before undergoing any orthopedic surgery, it's important to ask your surgeon questions about the procedure and what to expect. Some questions to ask your orthopedic surgeon include:

What is the success rate of this procedure?

Ask your surgeon about the success rates of the procedure you're considering. This can help you get a better sense of the potential benefits and risks associated with the surgery.

What is the recovery process like?

Ask your surgeon about the recovery process after surgery, including how long you'll need to rest, when you can return to work or normal activities, and what physical therapy or rehabilitation exercises you'll need to do.

What are the potential risks and complications of this surgery?

Ask your surgeon about the potential risks and complications associated with the surgery you're considering. This can help you make an informed decision about whether the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks.

Conclusion and final thoughts

Orthopedic surgery can be a highly effective treatment option for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions. Whether you're dealing with a broken bone, joint injury, or degenerative condition like arthritis, an orthopedic surgeon can help you develop a personalized treatment plan to improve your health and wellbeing. By understanding what to expect from the orthopedic surgery process, from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, you can feel more confident and informed about your healthcare options and make the best decisions for your individual needs and goals.

Best regards,

Dr. B

Orthopedic Surgeon

Bristol Health

Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.