Orthopedic surgery is the area of medicine concerned with the
musculoskeletal system. While the name may seem to imply only surgical
procedures, doctors work to correct orthopedic issues using both
surgical and non-surgical means. Physicians who specialize in this area
treat trauma, sports injuries, infections, degenerative diseases,
congenital disorders, and tumors.
Beginning With Children
Nicholas
Andry coined the name orthopedic surgery in 1741. The word comes from
the Greek "orthros," which means "straight" or "correct," and "paidion,"
which means "child." The term was first seen in his book, "The Art of
Correcting and Preventing Deformities in Children," which was designed
to help parents understand their child's malformation. Initially, the
field was geared towards identifying and correcting spinal and bone
deformities in children. Andry advocated the use of manipulation,
splinting, and exercise as treatments.
Andry wasn't alone in his
quest to help children. One of the first orthopedic surgery institutes
was opened in 1780 by Jean-Andre Venel. Physicians working there
dedicated their talents to assisting children with skeletal deformities.
At this institute, Venel and his staff created ways to treat spine
curvature and even developed the first club shoe for children suffering
from foot malformations.
Into the 1800s, the practice remained
limited to helping children. New techniques to correct spinal problems
were continually developed. Surgical procedures such as the percutaneous
tenotomy became popular as a means to correct problems with the foot
and leg.
Growing to Encompass Adults
It wasn't until the
early 1900s that physicians began investigating the possibilities of
orthopedic surgery for teens and adults. The man credited with bringing
orthopedics into the modern age is Hugh Owen Thomas. Thomas expanded the
field through his interest in treating fractures. He created the Thomas
Splint to stabilize broken bones and advocated bed rest in order to
heal wounds and prevent infection.
In addition to the splint,
Thomas created the Thomas Maneuver to help those with hip joint
fractures. In order to treat the fractures, he would perform a test to
detect the deformity by having his patients lie flat on a bed. Then, he
would use his "wrench" method to reduce the fracture and reset the bone.
During
the First World War, Thomas's techniques became mainstream when his
nephew, Robert Jones, used the Thomas Splint to reduce the mortality
rate for compound fractures of the femur from 87 percent to just 8
percent.
Post World War One
After World War One, German
doctor Gerhard Kuntcher started using intramedullary rods to help fix
fractures in the tibia and femur. However, it wasn't until the late
1970s that intramedullary fixation became possible without having to
open the fracture. Prior to this time, it was common to use traction in
order to repair the damage.
Since the 1970s, the field of
orthopedic surgery continues to grow. Today, common techniques include
joint replacements, bone grafts for severe fractures, and foot, ankle,
shoulder, hand, and elbow procedures. Sports injuries also now fall
under this category of medicine.
To learn more about their options for orthopedic surgery, Hagerstown, MD residents should visit http://robinwoodortho.com/surgery/.
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