All of the physicians at The Orthopedic Surgical Center of Montana are Board Certified or Board Certified Eligible and each has fellowship training in their specialty. The orthopedic surgeons working out of The Orthopedic Surgical Center of Montana perform procedures for injuries including:
Arthroscopy is a relatively new surgical procedure, first used in 1985, that allows the doctor to make a tiny incision and insert a small, thin camera into the joint. Arthroscopy provides a means of viewing and accessing the injury that would have otherwise required much more extensive surgery, often called open surgery. Arthroscopic techniques provide an advancement that, along with along with miniature and sometimes remotely controlled tools, allows for a much less involved surgery, and consequently, a much faster healing process for the patient. Arthroscopy is often used in both treatment and diagnosis of orthopedic injuries. Today, arthroscopy is a common surgical method which can be performed on a range of joints including the knee, shoulder and ankle.
The two Cruciate Ligaments: the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) control the back and forth motion of the knee while the the Collateral Ligaments, the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) and Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) control the sideways motion of the knee. Common injuries to these ligaments include strains and strains. Grade 2 and Grade 3 Sprains are considered partial and full tears of the ligament respectively. Injuries to the ACL and MCL, ACL tears and MCL tears, are common in contact sports and sports where the athlete makes sudden changes in their speed or their direction of travel such as soccer, football, and alpine or downhill skiing. Hang around any group of skiers long enough and they will tell you about the "popping" sound that is a usual indicator of an MCL tear or ACL tear.
The kneecap serves to protect the knee joint. Three bones come together to form the knee: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone) and patella (kneecap). The patella sits in front of the union of the other two bones to provide some protection for the joint.
A physician will examine the knee and determined the extent of the injury using physical tests and imaging such as X-ray or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. An orthopedic surgeon may also use arthroscopy to examine the extent of the injury by inserting a small, thin camera through a tiny incision. Treatment varies with the individual and the injury. In some cases the ligament may be able to heal itself, in other cases it may be necessary to repair the ligament.
An ankle fracture or wrist fracture is a break to one or several bones that make up the ankle or wrist joints. A severe sprain, a tear of the ligament, that is the connective tissue between bones, can sometimes present with similar symptoms to a fracture and may be present in the same injury. A doctor will use a variety of diagnostic tools that may include imaging such as X-ray or MRI, arthroscopy, or physical tests to diagnose the injury or injuries. Surgical treatment for fractures often involves placing screws, sometimes along with a plate or other metal hardware into the bones.
The Carpal Tunnel is a narrow passageway on the palm side of the wrist that allows the Median Nerve and a number of tendons that allow the gripping motion of the hand to pass through. Carpal Tunnel syndrome occurs when the Median Nerve is squeezed or compressed as it travels through this passage. Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel syndrome involve pain, numbness, or tingling in the hand or wrist. There are a variety of means of easing Carpal Tunnel syndrome including open and endoscopic surgical options; a Carpal Tunnel Release. The goal of this procedure is to decrease the pressure on the nerve.
The Rotator Cuff is comprised of four muscles covering the the head of humerus, the bone of the upper arm. The tendons of these muscles attach to the bone and together aide in the raising and lowering of the arm. Rotator Cuff injuries may develop suddenly or be the cause of repeated movements over time. Injury occurs when one of the tendons becomes fully or partially torn. Rotator Cuff surgery for a complete tear generally involves re-attaching one of the rotator cuff tendons to the humerus, while partial tears may just need to be smoothed or trimmed during a procedure called debridement. Rotator Cuff injuries may be assessed using arthroscopic techniques and there are arthroscopic surgical options which a doctor may opt to use instead of or along with open surgery.
Total Joint Replacement is a procedure in which parts of a damaged or injured joint are replaced with a prothesis made of metal, plastic or ceramic. The most common area for this procedure to be applied are the hip and knee but but total joint replacements can be performed on the wrist, shoulder and elbow as well. The prothesis is designed in such a way that it mimics the function of the joint in which it is replacing.