Orthopedics and Traumatology

Orthopedics and Traumatology is a medical specialty focused on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the musculoskeletal system. This field encompasses structures such as muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and the spine. It also addresses congenital deformities, traumatic injuries, sports-related conditions, and degenerative disorders. The primary goal is to restore the patient’s functional capacity and improve mobility. With the advancement of diagnostic technologies and the implementation of personalized treatment plans, patients receive high-quality and effective care tailored to their specific needs.

What is Orthopedics and Traumatology?

Orthopedics and Traumatology is a highly specialized medical discipline dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system. This field encompasses a broad spectrum of sub-specialties and therapeutic approaches. It primarily addresses conditions involving the upper and lower limbs, pelvic region, spine, bones, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissues.

Orthopedics and Traumatology often works in close collaboration with departments such as Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation to ensure comprehensive patient care. The specialty covers a wide range of surgical interventions, including advanced procedures like prosthetic implantation and complex hand surgeries.

What Procedures are Performed in the Orthopedics and Traumatology?

Orthopedics and Traumatology is a medical discipline that focuses on both newly developed and pre-existing conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. Within this scope, surgical and interventional procedures are performed on the hand, spine, knee, and ankle. The department also addresses treatments such as limb lengthening, correction of leg length discrepancies, sports injuries, and tumors of the musculoskeletal system.

The procedures performed in the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology include the following:

Hand Surgery and Microsurgery

The field of hand surgery covers the anatomical region from the fingertips to the shoulder. Conditions such as bone fractures, tendon or muscle ruptures, and nerve compressions occurring in this area are commonly treated. As a discipline requiring high precision and coordination, hand surgery demands meticulous technique and patience. It also encompasses the correction of congenital and acquired deformities, including polydactyly (extra fingers), carpal tunnel syndrome, syndactyly (fused fingers), and cerebral palsy-related hand issues.
Microsurgery enables the repair of nerve structures less than 1 mm in diameter using extremely fine sutures that are barely visible to the naked eye. With this technique, severed limbs such as arms, hands, legs, or feet can be successfully reattached, and delicate nerve fibers can be reconstructed.

Spine Surgery (Spinal Diseases and Surgery)

This sub-specialty primarily addresses common spinal conditions such as curvature disorders and fractures. It includes the diagnosis and surgical treatment of scoliosis (congenital or acquired), spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, Scheuermann’s kyphosis, spinal trauma, dislocations, and infections affecting the spine.

Knee Surgery

Due to its weight-bearing function, the knee is more susceptible to injury than other joints. Inadequate warm-up before physical activity or excessive strain can damage the cartilage, leading to ligament tears or meniscal injuries. Arthroscopic techniques are employed to treat issues such as meniscus tears, cartilage damage, anterior cruciate ligament injuries, joint capsule trauma, septic arthritis, synovitis, osteoarthritis, and intra-articular fractures.

Ankle Surgery

Arthroscopic ankle surgery is used to diagnose and treat conditions such as anterior impingement, osteochondral defects, and FHL tenosynovitis in the talus dome region. Fiber-optic instruments allow for a minimally invasive approach, enabling quick visual assessment and precise treatment of joint issues. The procedure requires only small skin incisions, which heal significantly faster than traditional open surgery. It typically takes about one hour, and patients are often discharged on the same day. Weight-bearing and activities such as driving can usually resume within a few days post-operation.

Shoulder Surgery

Conditions like SLAP lesions (tears in the biceps tendon), frozen shoulder, impingement syndrome, dislocations, tennis elbow, and radial head dislocation are treated through open or arthroscopic procedures, depending on the nature and severity of the pathology.

Leg Length Discrepancy and Height Increase Treatment

Orthopedic conditions such as limb length inequality or angular deformities can be treated using the Ilizarov technique. This method allows for the controlled lengthening or shortening of bones to correct asymmetries. It is also used in cases of bone curvature, growth plate abnormalities, and post-traumatic soft tissue or bone loss.
In the Ilizarov method, bone segments are stabilized using external fixators composed of rings and thin wires, allowing for gradual and precise correction. A low-energy osteotomy is performed, and daily lengthening of 1 mm can result in up to 80% bone elongation, depending on the area and clinical indication.

Other Conditions Treated with the Ilizarov Technique Include:
• Non-union fractures
• Closed and open fractures
• Arm and leg deformities
• Bone lengthening for height increase or growth plate closure
• Bone loss due to trauma, tumors, or infection
• Metabolic bone diseases
• Structural bone abnormalities
• Chronic bone infections

Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery

This field includes the treatment of congenital hip dislocation, Perthes disease, post-clubfoot deformities (PEV sequelae), brachial plexus injuries, gait disturbances, torticollis, foot deformities, and pediatric spinal conditions.

Oncologic Orthopedic Surgery

The diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant tumors in the musculoskeletal system including muscle, bone, nerve, tendon, and joint structures—are addressed in this subspecialty.

Sports Traumatology

While sports improve physical performance and systemic resilience, they can also result in injury if proper precautions are not taken. The knee is the most frequently injured joint in sports, accounting for approximately 33% of sports-related trauma. Other commonly affected areas include the ankle, thigh, hip and groin, shoulder, wrist, and spine. Expert physicians provide rapid diagnosis and intervention for all sports-related injuries, ensuring effective and timely recovery.

What Diseases Do Orthopedics and Traumatology Treat?

Orthopedics and Traumatology focuses on congenital or trauma-related disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system. Common orthopedic conditions include sports injuries, fractures, dislocations, herniated discs in the lumbar and cervical spine, scoliosis, meniscal tears, osteoarthritis, and soft tissue disorders.

The diseases addressed within the field of Orthopedics and Traumatology can be listed as follows:

Sports Injuries and Arthroscopic Surgery

• Meniscectomy,
• Reconstruction surgeries,
• Meniscus repair,
• Microfracture and osteochondral cartilage transplantation,
• Arthroscopic Bankart repair (for shoulder dislocation),
• Labral tear repair,
• Rotator cuff repair,
• Shoulder joint osteoarthritis,
• Foreign body removal.

Foot and Ankle Surgery

• Cartilage injuries,
• Ligament tears,
• Sports fractures and injuries,
• Degenerative problems in the foot and ankle.

Elbow and Shoulder Surgery

• Rotator cuff diseases,
• Shoulder and elbow arthrosis,
• Recurrent dislocations,
• Trauma-related diseases such as falls, traffic accidents, and work accidents.

Pediatric Orthopedics and Traumatology

• Clubfoot,
• Congenital disorders,
• Flatfoot,
• Hip dislocation,
• Tumors,
• Fracture treatment and follow-up.

Osteoarthritis

• Knee osteoarthritis (gonarthrosis),
• Hip osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis),
• Periacetabular and high tibial reconstructive bone surgeries,
• Hip, knee, shoulder, and elbow prostheses,
• Prosthetic infections,
• Revision surgeries for loosened prostheses.

Hand Surgery, Extremity, and Upper Extremity

• Lengthening of arm and leg bones,
• Bone deformities and infections,
• Non-union fractures,
• Acute soft tissue injuries,
• Repair of severed blood vessels and nerves,
• Tendon transfers,
• Amputations.

Diagnostic and Treatment Methods in Orthopedics and Traumatology

Orthopedics and Traumatology is a medical unit that specializes in diagnosing and surgically treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. The diagnostic and treatment methods used in this field vary depending on the type, severity, and overall health condition of the patient. The primary goals are to relieve pain, restore functional capacity, and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Diagnostic Methods in Orthopedics and Traumatology

• Physical examination
• Radiography (X-ray) to visualize bone structures and detect basic issues such as fractures or dislocations
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to assess soft tissues, menisci, ligaments, and spinal discs
• Computed Tomography (CT)
• Ultrasonography
• Blood tests and biopsy when systemic diseases, infections, or tumors are suspected

Treatment Methods in Orthopedics and Traumatology

• Medication therapy including pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and muscle relaxants
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation to improve strength and flexibility
• Use of orthotic devices and prosthetics to support or replace impaired limbs and joints
• Intra-articular injections of corticosteroids, PRP, or hyaluronic acid
• Arthroscopic surgery for minimally invasive joint procedures
• Open surgical procedures for more complex cases such as fracture repair or joint replacement
• Limb lengthening and deformity correction surgeries
• Tumor surgery to remove benign or malignant musculoskeletal growths

Frequently Asked Questions About Orthopedics and Traumatology

Do orthopedic doctors treat cervical disc herniation?

Individuals experiencing symptoms of a cervical disc herniation can consult either the Orthopedics and Traumatology department or Neurosurgery. Both specialties are qualified to assess and manage conditions involving the spine and nerve compression.

Why should someone visit the Orthopedics department?

People may consult the Orthopedics department for the diagnosis and treatment of congenital joint disorders, traumatic injuries, fractures, and dislocations. Orthopedic specialists also perform surgical interventions to provide definitive treatment solutions tailored to the patient’s condition.