About Orthopaedic Trauma Care

If you have been injured in an accident—in a car, during a fall, on the playing field, at work, or in your own home—you may have a more complex injury than a simple fracture or a pulled muscle. Finding and treating all of the injured bones and soft tissue can require specialists who know exactly what to do, based on their experience with hundreds of injuries like yours.

The Orthopaedic Trauma team at UR Medicine cares for adults and children with severe injuries that affect the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and other tissues.

• Your care begins in the Emergency Department—a Regional Trauma Center serving a nine-county area. Here our orthopaedists begin tests and imaging to find the source of your pain and determine next steps. We have orthopaedists in the ER around the clock, on every day of the year.

• Our traumatologists—specialists who deal with major bone and tissue injuries—bring the expertise you need to get a correct diagnosis. These doctors are fellowship-trained to recognize complex injuries with more than one issue. They see a wide variety of cases daily, so they have experience treating every kind of difficult fracture.

• Depending on the results of x-rays and other imaging and tests, your traumatologist will assemble a team of specialists. These physicians will work together to decide which procedures and treatments will help you most. You may need surgery to set bones or repair torn tissue, as well as pain management, bracing, and other tools to help you recover.

• Our traumatologists stay with your case until we know that your injury is healing properly. After surgery, they know what kinds of complications may arise, and they take the necessary steps to guard against issues like infections, non-unions, or joints that don't heal properly.

In this department, we also treat any condition you may have from a previous injury. You may have pain, stiffness, a stubborn infection, a shortened limb or difficulty moving normally. Our physicians and surgeons are ready to help you move beyond pain and discomfort and regain your ability to do things you enjoy.