Orthopedics

Understanding Orthopedics

Wellstar’s team of highly specialized orthopedic doctors provide comprehensive, collaborative care. From arthritis or a sports injury to a broken arm or bum knee, Wellstar’s orthopedic team of specialists can help.

Our doctors have extensive training in diagnosing and treating pain and problems in specific areas of the body, including the shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, hip, knee, ankle and foot. Wherever injury or issue resides, our team has the expertise to provide the best care possible to get you moving again. Wellstar Orthopedics works with other specialists to care for the whole person and ensure a fast recovery. Using minimally invasive procedures whenever possible, reduces pain and speeds recovery time.

Our doctors collaborate with physical therapists to educate patients on rehabilitation and to improve movement, strength and performance. They often create a plan for prevention to help patients avoid injury or slow the development of a disease.

Conditions typically treated

Arthritis
Back pain
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Hip pain
Knee pain
Pain management
Broken bones
Tumors
Congenital diseases

Procedures

Because of the numerous problems that may affect bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, there are a wide range of treatments and services available. Nearly all procedures will involve imaging procedures, including arthograms, which are specialized x-rays for joints; bone scans; computed tomography (CT) scans; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Medication is often used during treatment, such as injections of pain-relieving drugs directly into the affected area. This often includes corticosteroid injections into joints, tendons and ligaments or around the spine or hyaluronic acid injections to help relieve arthritis pain.

Inpatient and outpatient surgeries to correct deformities, repair fractures, replace joints or to reconstruct ligaments and tendons all have their specific preparations, procedures and recovery guidelines.

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a common procedure for diagnosing and often treating joint problems. During this procedure, the surgeon inserts a narrow tube outfitted with a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision near the joint. This allows the surgeon to view the joint, and even work on it, without having to make a large incision.

For this outpatient procedure, you may be asked to avoid certain medications, refrain from eating for a period of time and wear loose clothing. Preparations and procedures vary depending on the joint, but you can expect to under a local, regional or general anesthesia.

The procedure will take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. Your surgical staff will provide instructions for your post-surgical care.

Arthroplasty

Arthroplasty describes the surgical procedures designed to totally replace main joints, most often the knee or the hip. For each procedure, a surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage and replaces it with an artificial joint made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers.

These surgeries require considerable planning for the procedure and for post-care, especially since you will likely need the assistance of crutches or a walker. Your surgical staff will provide detailed instructions concerning your medications, food intake and other items for the day of your surgery.

The surgery itself will take about two hours, but you will remain in a recovery area for several hours as your anesthesia wears off. Because of the increased risk of blood clots in your legs, you may be prescribed special medication.