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Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery guides
22 plain-English, evidence-linked guides in Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, with clinical review status shown on each page.
Achilles tendon repair (Surgical repair of a ruptured Achilles tendon)An operation to sew back together a snapped (ruptured) Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle, used for some people instead of healing the tendon in a boot.ACL reconstruction (Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction)Keyhole surgery that replaces a torn cruciate ligament in the knee with a graft, to restore stability for people whose knee keeps giving way or who want to return to demanding sport.Ankle ligament reconstruction (Lateral ankle ligament repair or reconstruction)An operation to tighten or rebuild the worn or stretched ligaments on the outer side of the ankle, used for people whose ankle keeps giving way despite physiotherapy.Ankle replacement (Total ankle replacement (total ankle arthroplasty))An operation to replace a worn, arthritic ankle joint with metal and plastic parts, aiming to relieve pain while keeping some ankle movement.Bunion surgery (Hallux valgus correction (bunionectomy))An operation to straighten the big toe and narrow the foot when a painful bunion (hallux valgus) is rubbing in shoes or causing pain that simpler measures have not settled.Carpal tunnel release (Carpal tunnel decompression (carpal tunnel release))A small operation that relieves pressure on a nerve at the wrist to ease the tingling, numbness and pain of carpal tunnel syndrome.Decompression for spinal stenosis (lumbar decompression (laminectomy / laminotomy) for lumbar spinal stenosis)An operation that makes more room for the squeezed nerves in a narrowed lower spine, mainly to ease leg pain and the cramping that comes on with walking.Elbow surgery (elbow surgery (arthroscopy, tendon release, nerve decompression, contracture release or joint surgery))A group of operations on the elbow to treat stubborn tennis or golfer's elbow, a trapped nerve, a stiff or arthritic joint, or loose fragments, usually only after non-surgical treatment has been tried.Foot fusion surgery (foot and ankle arthrodesis (fusion of the ankle, hindfoot or midfoot joints))An operation that permanently joins together one or more worn or deformed joints in the foot or ankle to relieve pain, trading movement at that joint for a more stable, comfortable foot.Frozen shoulder release (Manipulation under anaesthetic and/or arthroscopic capsular release for adhesive capsulitis)A procedure to free up a stiff, painful frozen shoulder, either by stretching the tight joint capsule while you are asleep (manipulation) or by cutting the scarred tissue from inside the joint with keyhole surgery (capsular release).Hammer toe correction (Surgical correction of lesser toe deformity (arthroplasty, arthrodesis or tendon transfer))An operation to straighten a bent lesser toe (hammer, claw or mallet toe) that is painful or rubbing, usually by removing or fusing part of a toe joint and sometimes adjusting the tendons.Hip replacement (Total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty))An operation that replaces a worn or damaged hip joint with an artificial one to ease pain and help you move more easily.Joint injections (steroid or hyaluronic acid) (Intra-articular corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation) injection)Injections into a painful joint — either an anti-inflammatory steroid to calm pain and swelling for a while, or hyaluronic acid (a gel-like lubricant) aiming to ease osteoarthritis symptoms, though the evidence for hyaluronic acid is weak.Knee arthroscopy (Arthroscopy of the knee (keyhole knee surgery))Keyhole surgery that uses a small camera to look inside the knee and, in some cases, treat certain problems such as a true locked knee.Knee replacement (Total knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty))An operation that replaces a worn or damaged knee joint with an artificial one to ease pain and help you move more easily.Removal of metalwork (Removal of orthopaedic metalwork (implant removal))An operation to take out metal plates, screws, nails or wires that were used to fix a broken bone after it has healed.Rotator cuff repair (Rotator cuff repair (surgical tendon repair of the shoulder))An operation to reattach a torn rotator cuff tendon to the top of the arm bone to reduce pain and improve shoulder strength and movement.Shoulder decompression (subacromial) (Arthroscopic subacromial decompression)A keyhole operation to remove a small amount of bone and tissue above the rotator cuff, used for some types of shoulder pain.Shoulder replacement (Shoulder arthroplasty)An operation that replaces the worn or damaged surfaces of the shoulder joint with artificial parts to reduce pain and, in many people, improve movement.Shoulder stabilisation (Shoulder stabilisation surgery (e.g. Bankart repair, Latarjet procedure))An operation to repair or rebuild the structures that hold the shoulder in its socket, done to stop a shoulder that keeps dislocating or feeling unstable.Surgery to fix a broken bone (Fracture fixation (open reduction and internal fixation, ORIF))An operation to put the pieces of a broken bone back into the right position and hold them there, usually with metal plates, screws, wires, nails or pins, so the bone can heal.Trapeziectomy (thumb base surgery) (Trapeziectomy (excision of the trapezium for thumb base osteoarthritis))An operation that removes a small wrist bone at the base of the thumb to relieve the pain of thumb base arthritis when other treatments have not worked.
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