Hit by
a speeding forklift, a warehouseman suffers crushing injures to his legs
and feet...A construction worker
falls from a scaffold breaking both wrists and one elbow... A machinist is struck
by the pieces of a shattered grinding wheel resulting in multiple fractures
and penetrating wounds to his right arm and both legs...
All are faced with
serious, limb-threatening, life altering injuries.
Managing the traumatically
injured patient, especially those with multiple orthopedic injuries,
often presents unique medical challenges. These patients often require
immediate treatment at unpredictable hours such as nights, weekends
and holidays. Treatment must often be initiated without the benefit
of detailed history and physical examination, a pre-existing doctor-patient
relationship, or insurance authorizations.
These patients
typically need thoughtful, timely intervention to minimize complications,
speed recovery, and return the patient to maximum functional capability.
In patients with open fractures, emergent irrigation and debridement
of the traumatic wounds is necessary. Most displaced unstable fractures
require surgical stabilization. This often involves the use of implants
such as plates and screws, intra-medullary nails, and external fixators.
When is a Trauma
Specialist Needed?
Injuries requiring
the intervention of a trauma specialist are generally acute in nature,
although trauma specialists are often called upon to evaluate the
chronic effects of past trauma. Patients with the following acute
and chronic conditions may benefit from referral to a trauma and fracture
care specialist:
- Fractures
of upper or lower extremities
- Complex
periarticular injuries
- Pelvic
and acetabular fractures
- Complex
femoral fractures
- Multiple
injuries
- Injuries
requiring internal or external fixation
- Injuries
caused by falls, impacts or penetrating objects
- Injuries
requiring post-traumatic bone reconstruction
- Nonunions
and malunions
- Infections
and osteomyelitis
The AASTHA Trauma
Team is committed to providing the finest medical care and case management
for traumatic or multiply injured patients. Our trauma and fracture
care services include:
