SCOI Presents Trauma and Fracture Care

A construction worker falls from a scaffold breaking both wrists and one elbow...

A machinist is struck by the pieces of a shattered grinding wheel resulting in multiple fractures and penetrating wounds to his right arm and both legs...

All are faced with serious, limb-threatening, life altering injuries.

Managing the traumatically injured patient, especially those with multiple orthopedic injuries, often presents unique medical challenges. These patients often require immediate treatment at unpredictable hours such as nights, weekends and holidays. Treatment must often be initiated without the benefit of detailed history and physical examination, a pre-existing doctor-patient relationship, or insurance authorizations.

These patients typically need thoughtful, timely intervention to minimize complications, speed recovery, and return the patient to maximum functional capability. In patients with open fractures, emergent irrigation and debridement of the traumatic wounds is necessary. Most displaced unstable fractures require surgical stabilization. This often involves the use of implants such as plates and screws, intra-medullary nails, and external fixators.

When is a Trauma Specialist Needed?

Injuries requiring the intervention of a trauma specialist are generally acute in nature, although trauma specialists are often called upon to evaluate the chronic effects of past trauma. Patients with the following acute and chronic conditions may benefit from referral to a trauma and fracture care specialist:

Fractures of upper or lower extremities
Complex periarticular injuries
Pelvic and acetabular fractures
Complex femoral fractures
Multiple injuries
Injuries requiring internal or external fixation
Injuries caused by falls, impacts or penetrating objects
Injuries requiring post-traumatic bone reconstruction
Nonunions and malunions
Infections and osteomyelitis

The SCOI Trauma Team is committed to providing the finest medical care and case management for traumatic or multiply injured patients. Our trauma and fracture care services include:

Two fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons specializing in trauma and fracture care.
Single call management capability to arrange transportation, evaluation, and treatment.
Multiple office locations to handle emergency cases throughout the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Conejo valleys.
Extended hours allowing coverage beyond the traditional workday.
The full resources of SCOI to assist our trauma specialists in treatment and management of the multiply injured patient. This includes more than 27 fellowship trained orthopedic surgeons and physiatrists.

Trauma specialists at SCOI:

Donald A. Wiss, MD

The Trauma Care Coordinator at SCOI is Pam Swann, who may be reached at (818) 901-6600 ext. 3885

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Material on this website is Copyright ©2004 Southern California Orthopedic Institute.
6815 Noble Avenue Van Nuys, California 91405 (818) 901-6600
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	Hit by a speeding forklift, a warehouseman suffers crushing injures to his legs and feet...