What is trauma?
Trauma occurs when your musculoskeletal system suffers severe injuries. This could happen in a car accident, which is one of the more common causes, but there are numerous other reasons why you might experience trauma. These include:
- Severe falls
- Industrial accidents
- Serious sports injuries
- Assault
- Domestic violence
- Air and rail crashes
Trauma usually results in injuries that require immediate medical attention. Trauma injuries can frequently be life-threatening or could lead to severe complications like paralysis or the loss of a limb.
Trauma injuries require expert surgery, as they often involve complex types of fractures or multiple musculoskeletal injuries.
Only 5% of orthopaedic surgeons have specialist trauma training, but Dr. Solberg at LA Orthopaedic Specialists has undergone extensive training and has considerable expertise in carrying out trauma surgery.
What types of injuries can trauma cause?
In terms of orthopaedic injuries, fractured bones are the most common type of trauma. There are different types of fractures, for example:
Compression fractures
Compression fractures happen as a result of crush injuries. The bone looks wider or flatter than it should, due to the weight it’s been under.
Comminuted fractures
With comminuted fractures, there are three or more pieces of fractured bone. The fragments present at the fracture site could be in multiple parts.
Open, compound fractures
Compound fractures are those where a broken bone is protruding through your skin. Open fractures are those where the wound is so deep the bone is visible.
Open, compound fractures are typically highly painful. They’re also more vulnerable to developing an infection, leading to severe long-term complications.
Dr. Solberg at LA Orthopaedic Specialists also has the advanced skills needed to treat some of the most complex fractures, including pelvic ring and acetabulum fractures, nonunion fractures, and malunion fractures.
How is trauma treated?
Serious trauma injuries frequently require surgery. Dr. Solberg might need to perform procedures such as:
- External fixation
- Open reduction
- Internal fixation
- Partial joint replacement
- Total joint replacement
- Fusion
- Bone grafts
He might need to repair the damaged bones using screws, plates, or other kinds of fixtures. Fractures can also cause significant soft tissue damage, which might require the use of a graft or the insertion of an artificial implant.
For more information about the treatment of trauma, call LA Orthopaedic Specialists today or book an appointment online.
