Things About Orthopedic Surgery You Need To Know

Orthopedic surgery is a collection of types of surgery that aims to overcome diseases that occur in the body's motion system. Orthopedic surgery can treat various diseases or injuries that arise in the bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and nerve muscles. Through orthopedic surgery, patients suffering from diseases of the body's organs can move again, and work and move normally. Patients suffering from motion system diseases will generally undergo non-surgical treatment first. If non-surgical treatment does not effectively cure the disease, the doctor will recommend the patient to undergo a surgical procedure. Non-surgical treatment for orthopedic patients is generally in the form of medication and physiotherapy. Some examples of orthopedic surgery procedures that are most often performed include:

• Arthroscopy

which is a surgical procedure with an incision the size of a keyhole to see the condition of the joints and overcome problems in the joints using special tools. Arthroscopy can be done as a procedure for diagnosing joint disease and treatment techniques for joints. The instrument used for arthroscopy is an arthroscope, a thin tube containing a camera and a surgical instrument.

• Pen installation

which is a surgical procedure performed by connecting and maintaining the position of broken bones with the help of a pen consisting of metal plates and special bolts. Through the installation of the pen, the broken bone will be returned to its original position and held with the help of the pen during the healing period.

• Joint replacement

Joint replacement surgery is performed to replace damaged joints with artificial joints. Joints can be replaced only in part (partial) or whole (total). Joint replacement surgery is often done on the pelvis or knee, especially if the joint has severe inflammation or damage. Replacement joints can be made of plastic, metal, or ceramic, and are made to mimic the movements of the original joint so that the patient can still move as before.

• Bone Fusion

Bone fusion is done by uniting several bones together, either with a bone graft or with the help of metal. Bone fusion is often done on the spine to relieve pain and increase spinal stability due to disease. By combining several vertebrae, there is no more movement between these vertebrae, so that pain due to vertebrae movements will disappear.

• Osteotomy

Osteotomy is a surgical procedure performed by cutting and changing the shape of bones, especially to repair joints. Osteotomy is often performed on the knee to repair inflamed knee joints. However, osteotomy can also be done in other parts of the body such as the pelvis, jaw, chin, toes, and spine. Osteotomy performed on the knee to treat knee arthritis is usually done on young patients who are not recommended to undergo knee replacement surgery. This is because artificial knee joints are more easily damaged in young patients than in elderly patients.

• Surgery to repair tendons and ligaments

Tendons and ligaments are connective tissue between bones and muscles. Both can be damaged or torn, which can cause joints to weaken and joint movements to be limited and painful. Tendons and ligaments can be damaged due to strenuous physical activity, especially sports such as soccer or tendon and ligament repair operations will reconnect torn tendons and ligaments.

Indications for Orthopedic Surgery

Orthopedic surgery can be performed to treat various diseases and disorders of the bones and joints. Each orthopedic surgical technique has its own indications, including:

• Arthroscopy can be done to diagnose and treat joint diseases, such as infection or arthritis, joint injury, and ligament damage.
• Spinal fusion can be used to treat spinal abnormalities, such as scoliosis, spinal fractures, spinal tumors, infections, and herniation of the spinal joints (hernia nucleus pulposus).
• Pen placement is done to overcome fractures.
• Joint replacement surgery is done to replace a damaged joint, whether due to inflammation, disease, broken bones, or degeneration due to age.
• Osteotomy is performed to treat joints damaged by inflammation, especially in young patients who are not recommended for joint replacement surgery.
• Tendon and ligament repair operations are performed to repair tendons and ligaments that are damaged due to physical activity, especially as a result of sports.

Patients can undergo a series of surgical procedures as needed. Orthopedic surgery can also be combined with other non-surgical treatment methods to optimize healing.

Warning for Orthopedic Surgery

Each orthopedic surgical technique has certain warnings that prevent the patient from undergoing surgery. However, in general, to avoid the complications of blood loss during the surgery, patients will be asked to stop taking blood-thinning medications temporarily, such as aspirin or warfarin. If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should consult an obstetrician before undergoing orthopedic surgery. Allergies suffered by patients, especially allergies to latex or anesthesia, can cause complications during the surgery. Therefore, tell your doctor about these allergies before undergoing surgery. Orthopedic Surgery Preparation The preparation for orthopedic surgery depends on the surgical technique the patient will undergo. However, in general patients will be asked to fast first before undergoing orthopedic surgery, especially patients who will undergo surgery with general anesthesia. Patients will also be asked to be accompanied by family, especially to deliver before and after surgery. Patients who need bone grafts will be informed about the choice of materials for bone grafting. Bone grafts can be obtained from the patient's own bones. But now, there are synthetic bone graft materials that can replace the original bone for bone graft needs. These synthetic bone graft ingredients can be made from ceramics, calcium, or special proteins.

Orthopedic Surgery Procedure

Orthopedic surgical procedures vary according to the type of surgery performed and the bone and joint disease suffered by the patient. In general, types of orthopedic surgery are invasive procedures that require a skin incision at the location of the bone or joint to be operated on. Patients who will undergo orthopedic surgery will be asked to change their clothes first with special surgical clothes before entering the operating room. The doctor will then position the patient on the operating table according to the location of the bone or joint to be operated on. The patient will then be given an anesthetic, be it local, half body, or general anesthesia, as needed. Local anesthesia and half the body will keep the patient awake during the surgical procedure, but will not feel pain. Whereas general anesthesia will put the patient to sleep during the operation, and wake up after the operation is complete. The orthopedic doctor will make a skin incision in accordance with the location of the bone or joint that will undergo surgery. The size of the skin incision is made depending on the type of surgery and technique used. Arthroscopic surgery and osteotomy generally only require one or two small incisions. While in pen placement, an incision will be made along the broken bone. After the incision is made, the doctor will then perform the surgical procedure according to the type of orthopedic surgery to be performed. In arthroscopy, the doctor will insert an arthroscope into the joint to see the condition of the joint visually and certain actions. In the pen placement surgery, the broken bone will be positioned first in its normal position, then held using a pen. After the surgical procedure is complete, the incision will be closed again using sterile sutures and bandages to prevent infection. Patients will be taken to the care room for postoperative recovery, especially if they require hospitalization.

After Orthopedic Surgery

Patients will be allowed to go home after undergoing postoperative care or hospitalization first. During the recovery period, the patient will be asked to rest and keep the bones that have undergone surgery so as not to move much. Patients can feel pain and swelling at the surgical site after undergoing surgery. The doctor will give painkillers, as well as antibiotics to prevent infection, which are consumed during the recovery period. The doctor will arrange the patient's check-up schedule during the recovery period. If the operating area is deemed stable enough to be moved, the doctor will arrange a schedule for physiotherapy. Physiotherapy will help strengthen the muscles, bones, and joints that have been operated on. The postoperative recovery period is different for each surgical technique performed, from one to two days to several weeks. During the recovery period, patients are not allowed to smoke because the nicotine in cigarettes can interfere with bone recovery. Patients should immediately consult with the relevant doctor, if during the recovery period symptoms appear in the form of:

• Redness and swelling at the operating site.
• Fever.
• Fluid out of the operating site.
• The location of the operation feels stiff and tingling.
• The emergence of severe pain that does not improve despite taking pain medication.

Risks of Complications of Orthopedic Surgery

Some of the risks of complications that can arise from undergoing orthopedic surgery include:

• Surgical wound infection.
• Tissue damage in the area of ​​operation.
• The formation of blood clots.
• An allergic reaction to the anesthetic.
• Bleeding and damage to blood vessels.
• The joint feels stiff.
• Chronic joint pain.
• Damage to nerve tissue.
• Damage to the bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments that have been operated on.