It is often necessary for an Orthopedic Surgeon Texarkana to make a decision to amputate a patient’s limb. This decision is not easy because it will have a major effect on the patient’s future life, even though it is necessary to save his or her life. Each year in America, approximately 40,000 amputations are done. By the year 2050, it has been estimated that 3.6 million Americans will have undergone an amputation.
Several reasons make it necessary to perform a lower extremity amputation. Lower extremity is the term used for the lower part of a leg. One of the major reasons is ischemic disease which develops when blood vessels become constricted or obstructed. When this happens, the lower leg and foot are not able to receive an adequate supply of blood.
These patients often develop ulcers or sores on the skin that can lead to osteomyelitis (a bacterial infection of the bone marrow and bone) or gangrene (decay and death of body tissue), both of which are life-threatening conditions. The leg is the limb that is frequently affected because blood and nutrients cannot travel to it. Other reasons for amputation include tumors, vascular disease, or severe trauma.
Amputation is one of the oldest surgical procedures. The basic principles, as described by ‘the father of western medicine’, Hippocrates, still apply. Obviously, certain elements such as blood loss, anesthesia, and post operative care techniques have been dramatically improved, but the actual procedure is basically the same.
Many of the dangerous risks of early amputations have been eradicated. These include shock, fatal hemorrhaging, and sepsis. In addition, there was no anesthesia so the patient had to be ‘knocked out’ with vast amounts of alcohol, then held down while the amputation was done.
Today, amputation involves a more scientific approach. The orthopedic surgeon has to ensure that, following the procedure, an artificial limb (prosthesis) can be comfortably worn. Therefore, there is a lot of intricacy involved in removing the limb. The surgeon will try to keep the knee joint intact so that the maximum amount of mobility is achieved when the prosthesis is fitted.
After amputation, the patient has to face the psychological effects of losing a limb. Due to this, the orthopedic surgeon will recommend psychological therapy and physical therapy. All therapists involved in rehabilitation will keep in contact with the surgeon during recovery to ensure that the patient can resume his or her life as an active member of the community.
An orthopedic surgeon Texarkana treats a variety of other musculoskeletal conditions. He or she may apply non-surgical or surgical techniques to solve infections, sports injuries, congenital disorders and degenerative diseases. Typical surgical procedures include ankle and foot surgery, elbow and shoulder surgery, spine surgery, hand surgery, pediatric orthopedics, and joint reconstruction.
Orthopedic Surgeon Texarkana
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