Managing Orthopedic Injuries

There are many different kinds of orthopedic injuries and their occurrences are increasing. Major medical devices companies have rolled out a comprehensive range of products to serve this growing market.

Orthopedics is the medical specialization concerned with the study and treatment of injuries and diseases of the body's musculoskeletal system. This sophisticated system allows the body to move and includes the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.

An orthopedic injury occurs when there is damage to the musculoskeletal system. It can be acute or chronic. The U.S. National Institutes of Health says that knee injuries occur frequently in the field of sports medicine. However, they can also occur even in the most ordinary of settings.

Anatomy of surgery

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that orthopedic surgeons manage special problems of the musculoskeletal system. This involves diagnosis of injury or disorder; treatment with medication, exercise, surgery, or other treatment plans; rehabilitation by recommending exercises or physical therapy to restore movement, strength, and function; and prevention with information and treatment plans to prevent injury or slow the progression of diseases.

Here is a young patient's story, from Smith & Nephew (www.smith-nephew.com), about how undergoing surgery helped him to play soccer again. "Robert is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his soccer idols. Soccer is the most important thing to 17-year-old Robert. A keen forward, he plays hard and takes many knocks and tumbles. But while playing for his high school team, he twisted his knee and tore his anterior cruciate ligament. Robert was out of action for 5 months. It looked like he may have to hang up his soccer boots for good. However, arthroscopic surgery changed all that. Using the Smith & Nephew ACL system components and the Softsilk screw system, his surgeon reconstructed Robert's damaged knee. Just 2-1/2 months after surgery, Robert was back on the soccer field. He's now back with the team and hoping for a college soccer scholarship."

Advanced devices and solutions

For over 150 years, Smith & Nephew has developed advanced medical devices for healthcare professionals around the world. Smith & Nephew's Orthopaedic Reconstruction and Trauma unit offers a wide range of orthopedic reconstruction joint bearing surfaces. They are available with its joint replacement systems for knees, hips, and shoulders along with trauma products that help repair broken bones. Smith & Nephew also works with surgeons to improve techniques and instruments to reduce the invasiveness and surgical time of joint replacements, resulting in faster healing and healthcare efficiencies.

The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) System is a market-leading hip resurfacing system with over 125,000 implantations worldwide. Introduced in 1997, the BHR System was designed using knowledge gained from first-generation metal-on-metal total hips and a thorough understanding of hip resurfacing principles. This bone conserving total hip system is well documented through independent clinical and laboratory studies. Additional clinical evidence supporting the BHR System is published in multiple registries. With virtual elimination of dislocation and excellent survivorship, this bone-conserving procedure is ideal for the active patient. Smith & Nephew possesses a comprehensive offering of hip bearing surfaces.

Hip resurfacing is where the articular surfaces of the femur and acetabulum are replaced, leaving the femoral head substantially preserved. This is a less invasive bone sparing approach to treating arthritis in younger or more active patients. The system utilizes proven low wear metal-on-metal bearing surface technology, and the broad hip head design offers a high range of motion and eNike