life saving surgeries

[MilesDavisTheDoctor]

Do orthopedic surgeons perform any life saving surgeries? I've heard surgery for nec fasc might being something like that besides that it seems like you're almost always saving limbs rather than lives

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[slowthai]

The field that saves the most lives in ortho is orthopaedic oncology. It's the most medical and un-ortho-like of the subspecialties. Think hemipelvectomies and total femur replacements.

Your bread and butter ortho case is going to be about improving quality of life, not saving lives.

 

[OrthoTraumaMD]

Adding to the above... Pelvic fracture with hemodynamic instability, exfix and stabilization can be lifesaving.
Otherwise it’s about restoration of function.

 

[akwho]

Orthopaedic surgeries with a mortality benefit:
1) Hip fracture repairs or replacements, extraordinarily common
2) Amputations (traumatic, infectious or malignancy), very common
3) Femur fractures
4) Elderly distal femur fractures
5) Pelvic exfix for hemodynamic instability
6) Extremity infection I&D's including necrotizing fasciitis
7) Anything ortho onc (tumor resection and endoprosthesis for Ewing's or osteosarcoma)
8) Ortho spine (anything high c-spine fracture stabilization or repair, tumor)
9) Ortho peds (neuromuscular peds scoli)
10) Posterior sternoclavicular dislocations
11) Compartment syndrome fasciotomies
12) Open fractures