The Orthopaedic Trauma Program at our hospital focuses on immediate treatment, care, and recovery from bone fractures and infections. Because serious orthopaedic injuries often require both immediate care and follow-up surgeries, treatment may involve the placement of internal plates, screws, and rods, or the use of external fixators to help keep the patient’s bones aligned in the correct position while the body heals.
Although some complex fractures may benefit from care by a trauma specialist, not all fractures need such specialized care. At Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, we use both non-surgical and surgical treatments for trauma injuries depending on the condition of the patient.
Orthopaedic trauma involves serious injury to the body’s bones and joints and may result in improper healing and bone infections if not properly treated. These injuries commonly result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sporting activities, and occupational accidents.
The orthopaedic trauma department specializes in problems related to the bones, joints, and soft tissues of the entire body following trauma. The main goal is proper healing of the fractures, as well as restoring the anatomic alignment of the joints to achieve the maximum function of the injured body part.
The specialists of the Orthopaedic Trauma group at Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital have the unique expertise and training to treat a wide range of orthopaedic injuries. Our physicians use many cutting-edge techniques including minimally invasive surgery and advanced external fixation.
Some of the procedures our surgeons perform include:
Non-Surgical Treatment of Trauma Injuries
- Some fractures and dislocations (particularly related to the clavicle, scapula, humerus, wrist, hand, and foot) can be treated non-operatively
- Your physician may treat the injury non-surgically through an external fixation method depending on the severity of the fracture
- The method involves the use of splints, casts, braces, and other devices on the outside of the injury to stabilize the fracture
Surgical Treatment of Trauma Injuries
- An internal fixation method involves a minor surgery in which the surgeon places pins, wires, screws, and plates on the bone to stabilize it
- Severe injuries may require more complex surgical procedures including bone grafting, limb lengthening, and complex reconstruction
The length of recovery for trauma fractures depends on the type and severity of the injury. It can take from three weeks up to several months for a bone to completely heal, and in the worst cases, the bone may never heal completely. Your orthopaedic physician will prescribe a progressive plan to attempt to fully restore the fractured bone to pre-injury condition.
However, you may experience stiffness and muscle fatigue as you start on your new program, which is caused by the atrophy of the muscles, joints, and ligaments from lack of activity. It is important to carefully follow your physician's recommendations to avoid reinjury and recover properly.