Orthopedic Surgery, Joint Replacement & Arthroscopic Surgery
Orthopaedic (also spelled orthopedic) surgery is devoted to the care of the musculoskeletal system—the body’s bones, joints, muscles, associated nerves, arteries, and the overlying skin. Orthopaedic surgeons treat such problems as bone fractures, injuries to tendons and ligaments, and deformities of the limbs and spine. An orthopaedist may use braces, casts, physical therapy, or splints to treat patients. Orthopaedic surgery may be required to treat congenital deformities, degenerative conditions, infections, metabolic disturbances, trauma, and tumors. An orthopaedic surgeon’s expertise may also include the surgical treatment of cerebral palsy, paraplegia, or stroke. An orthopaedic surgery residency lasts five years. Because of the wide scope of the musculoskeletal system, orthopaedic surgery includes various subspecialties, all of which require additional training.
Subspecialties include :