All You Need to Know About Orthopaedic Treatments

Orthopaedics

Finding the right treatment for you

Orthopaedics is the branch of medicine that deals with injuries and conditions of the musculoskeletal system, which consists of a body's bones, muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. This system supports your body's weight and allows you to move and maintain your posture.

Orthopaedic surgeons diagnose and treat a great number of musculoskeletal conditions, common issues are fractures, osteoporosis, scoliosis, ligament injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Orthopaedic treatments

Bone, muscle, joint and ligament pain are common amongst adult populations and can have a noticeable impact on quality of life. To treat these, a consultant will work alongside the patient as well as a general surgeon to diagnose the condition and which specific surgery might be needed. The discussion helps the patient understand the procedure and what it involves, including the risks, and where applicable any other course of action that can be taken. Amongst the most common procedures are joint reconstruction, arthroscopy, osteotomy, bone fracture repair and debridement.

Joint reconstruction is a procedure to repair function to a joint by replacing it with prosthetic materials, which can be made up of metal, ceramic and/or medical-grade plastic. It is usually only suggested to treat severe joint pain in the knee, hip and shoulder, as it is a more complex procedure than other reconstructive surgeries.

Arthroscopy is a much less invasive procedure which allows a surgeon to make minor adjustments to joints. This is done by inserting a small camera into a joint, allowing the surgeons to view the area and make small incisions to repair it. It is a popular procedure as it results in minimal scarring and a faster recovery period for the patient.

Osteotomy involves the correcting of a bone deformity by cutting and reshaping parts of it near a damaged joint to alleviate the pressure, which can relieve pain for the patient and gives better function to the area. It is typically used to manage arthritis in the knee or to deal with any misaligned bone in the hip, spine or other parts of the body. It is a preferable alternative for patients to avoid larger surgical procedures.

Bone fracture repair is performed to fix a broken bone by holding it in place using metal plates, screws, rods or pins. It is used when a bone wouldn’t repair and heal properly through using a cast or splints, in cases such as a bone sticking through the skin or in fractures that would affect joints. Improper healing can lead to a patient’s mobility being impacted severely and bone fracture repair helps ensure this can be avoided to the best extent.

Debridement is the removal of infected or dead tissue and foreign material from a wound to help improve the healing process. By doing so, it removes the conditions for bacteria to grow, to try and lessen the pain and to deter sepsis from developing which could result in amputation. It is only necessary if a wound isn’t healing properly.

Why get treatment abroad

Orthopaedic procedures can drastically improve quality of life and it’s important to get the best care you need and within a timely manner. Some of the key benefits of travelling abroad for treatment include:

• Shorter waiting times – waiting lists for orthopaedic injuries are some of the longest in the sector which can result in an extended period of discomfort and pain. Choosing to have the procedure abroad can help speed access to treatment

• Quality of care – many countries are equipped with top-of-the-range hospitals which provide first-class treatment for orthopaedic procedures, some of which ground-breaking

• Costs of surgery – cost of life varies per country and going abroad means you can find the best treatment possible at a price that fits your budget

If you are looking for an orthopaedic treatment, register your interest on our Patients page and we will inform you as soon as our platform goes live: brit-med.com/patients