Orthopedic Trauma and Fracture Care
When your life is changed in an instant and you’re facing your greatest challenges, trust your care to orthopedic trauma specialists at Ohio State.
When you or a loved one experiences a traumatic event, such as a car accident, a serious fall or a major collision during sports, you want the best care possible to heal any broken bones, torn ligaments or dislocated joints. The orthopedic trauma team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, specializes in state-of-the-art treatment and personalized care of adults of all ages who experience multiple injuries and fractures (broken bones) as the result of a traumatic event.
As home to one of only three Level I Trauma Centers in central Ohio, our orthopedic trauma specialists treat the most serious traumas and fractures. We also have a Level III Trauma Center at Ohio State East Hospital, so no matter your needs, we’re here to help. We want to partner with you in recovery and healing, from diagnosing the extent of your injuries, to getting you to surgery quickly, to creating a personalized rehabilitation plan for you to return to your favorite activities.
What is orthopedic trauma?
Orthopedic trauma typically refers to an injury caused by an external force – car accident, fall, violent attack – in the musculoskeletal (MSK) system. The MSK system includes bones, joints, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and tendons in the body.
Orthopedic trauma can happen to anyone at any age. Sometimes orthopedic trauma care also includes treating past bone or joint injuries that haven’t healed properly, or complex fractures caused by certain chronic conditions, such as osteoporosis.
Why choose Ohio State for orthopedic trauma care?
Laura Phieffer, MD, is an orthopedic trauma surgeon, and she explains what sets Ohio State apart and how they are advancing patient care.
Types of orthopedic trauma we treat at Ohio State
Our orthopedic trauma specialists can handle any type of fracture, in either the upper or lower extremities or the pelvis. In addition, we have expertise in coordinating and executing the care for complex or multisystem injuries. Some of the conditions we treat include:
- Fragility fractures: Bone breaks due to fragile bones from osteoporosis or osteopenia
- Pelvic or hip joint (acetabular) fractures: A pelvic or hip injury that can be life-threatening
- Nonunion of fractures: Fractures that do not heal properly
- Malunion of fractures: Fractures that heal in a crooked or deformed position
- Periarticular fractures: Fractures around the joint
- Periprosthetic fractures: Fractures that occur around an implanted prosthetic device, such as a hip, knee, or shoulder joint replacement
- Rib fractures: A common type of fracture for people who suffer severe injuries, like from car accidents or falls from heights; our experts can manage these injuries to allow for healing, decreased pain and return to function.
- Leg deformities or leg discrepancies: When fractures heal incorrectly and cause deformities (crookedness) or differences in leg lengths
- Dislocations: When bones separate from joints, such as hip, elbow or shoulder dislocations
- Musculoskeletal infections: When your bone becomes infected, including a native infection (osteomyelitis) or an infection from previous fracture care
- Soft tissue injuries: Strains or tears of ligaments or tendons
These are just a sampling of what our orthopedic trauma specialists can treat following a major injury.
Symptoms of a fracture
A fracture, or a break in the bone, is one of the most common traumatic injuries. If the broken bone punctures the skin, it’s called an open fracture (also sometimes referred to as a compound fracture). You need medical care right away for any fracture. Symptoms of a fracture are:
- Out-of-place or misshapen limb or joint
- Swelling, bruising or bleeding
- Intense pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Limited mobility or inability to move a limb
Diagnosis of traumatic injuries and fractures
Depending on the nature of your injury, you’ll most likely come to us through the Emergency Department, often in an ambulance. If you’re dealing with a chronic traumatic injury, your primary care physician may refer you to us. While you’re here, you’ll undergo a thorough evaluation, which will include a physical examination and imaging tests. When necessary, we’ll arrange for you to receive additional advanced tests, which may include:
- Magnetic resonance imaging, for a detailed, high-resolution image of your bones, joints and surrounding soft tissues, such as tendons and cartilage, to reveal damage
- Computed tomography scan, to provide a cross-sectional view of your bones
- Laboratory evaluation, a blood draw to help in the diagnosis of why you are experiencing a complication with your care.
Along with our examination, these imaging tests help your doctor develop a personalized treatment plan for you. You may need to wear a cast or a splint. Many traumatic injuries require surgery to put in plates, pins or screws to keep the bone in place and to repair any other damage. Sometimes, multiple surgeries may be needed to fix your orthopedic injuries.
Orthopedic trauma care and treatments at Ohio State’s trauma centers
The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center is designated a Level I Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons and Ohio State East Hospital is a Level III Trauma Center. This means we can care for the most serious traumas with on-site, 24/7 access to physicians in more than 40 medical specialties. Benefits of being treated at Ohio State for your major orthopedic injury include:
- Surgical expertise – Our team has specialty training to ensure you will receive the most up-to-date treatments for your injury. Also, we offer early operative fracture stabilization within 24 hours after injury, when possible.
- One stop for all your care – As an academic medical center, we provide access to experts in every area of medicine. No matter what your injuries are – orthopedic or not – we’ll have the lifesaving and life-enhancing care you need at Ohio State.
- Award-winning rehabilitation services – Our physical medicine team and sports medicine physical therapists offer aggressive rehabilitation for those who suffer major trauma to accelerate their recovery.
- Continuous innovation – Because of our commitment to research, we provide you with clinical trials to give you access to treatments, such as implants, not yet available at most other places.
- A leader in geriatric orthopedic care – At Ohio State, we understand the unique bone and joint issues that our older population experiences. As a Level I Geriatric Emergency Department, we’re the first and only geriatric specialty emergency department in Ohio. We’re also certified by the International Geriatric Fracture Society for the treatment of geriatric and fragility fractures.