Orthopedic Terms and Definitions
Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM)
EBM is the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. It is defined more specifically as the use of mathematical estimates of the risk of benefit and harm, derived from high-quality research on population samples, to inform clinical decision-making in the diagnosis, investigation or management of individual patients. Reference Wiki.org
EBM seeks to assess the strength of the evidence of risks and benefits of treatments (including lack of treatment) and diagnostic tests. This helps clinicians predict whether a treatment will do more good than harm. Reference Wiki.org
At Panhandle Orthopaedics, we are making a concerted effort to align ourselves with evidence-based medicine because it is an assessment-based discipline that directly helps our patients. To assist us in making those assessments, we utilize the Arthrex Surgical Outcome System.
Minimally Invasive Procedure
A minimally invasive procedure (MIP) is any procedure (surgical or otherwise) that is less invasive than open surgery used for the same purpose. A minimally invasive orthopaedic procedure typically involves the use of arthroscopic, endoscopic or percutaneous devices and indirect observation of the surgical field through a display panel, and is carried out through the skin.
Benefits - With Minimally Invasive Surgery, you're likely to have less blood loss and postoperative pain, fewer and smaller scars, and a faster recovery than you would after open surgery. Depending on your condition, you may only need out-patient surgery or a short hospital stay.
Endoscopic Procedure
This type of minimally invasive procedure requires a special device called an endoscope, which consists of fiber optic cables, miniature video cameras and special surgical instruments handled via tubes inserted into the body through small openings in its surface. The images of the interior of the body are transmitted to an external video monitor and the surgeon has the capability of making a diagnosis, visually identifying internal features and acting surgically on them.
Although this device performs much like an arthroscope, endoscopes are primarily used in soft tissue areas such as the tendon or muscle.
Arthroscopic Procedure
A minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an examination and sometimes treatment of damage to the interior of a joint is performed using an arthroscope, a type of endoscope that is inserted into the joint through a small incision. Arthroscopic procedures can be performed either to evaluate or to treat many orthopaedic conditions, including torn ligaments and damaged cartilage.
Similar to endoscopic procedures, incisions are fewer and smaller than traditional open surgery due to the smaller instruments used.
Percutaneous Procedure
In surgery, percutaneous pertains to any medical procedure where access to inner tissue is done via needle-puncture of the skin, rather than by using an open approach where inner tissue is exposed (typically with the use of a scalpel). Musculoskeletal Ultrasound guidance is typically used with percutaneous devices as a non-invasive visual aid in determining where to administer the procedure.
What is Musculoskeletal Ultrasound? It is a diagnostic, non-invasive exam that allows high-resolution, real-time image evaluation of anatomical structures such as muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Hemiarthroplasty (Knee & Shoulder Resurfacing)
A new minimally invasive procedure that is a good alternative to total knee replacement where only the damaged or arthritic parts of the affected area are treated, rather than replacing the entire joint.
During resurfacing, the surgeon will trim and reshape the affected area of bone damaged by the arthritis. Then the damaged cartilage will be replaced with an implant, which is cemented into place on the reshaped bone.
There are two types of resurfacing - partial and full. The type or procedure that a surgeon may use depends on the extent of damage. Cartilage and bone that is severely damaged may require a full knee resurfacing.
One of the many advantages to resurfacing includes faster healing and return to an active lifestyle typically in four to eight weeks, rather than 12 weeks, for joint replacement surgery.
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