Baton Rouge Orthopedic Treatment
Treating Orthopedic Trauma and Complex Injuries
Dr. Hess specializes in complex orthopaedic injuries. Being fellowship trained in orthopaedic traumatology, he is uniquely equipped to care for patients with severe and complex orthopaedic disorders. His comprehensive training also allows him to care for and, if necessary, operate on a range of orthopaedic conditions in nearly every part of the body. Many conditions may be treated without surgery. Dr. Hess often recommends exhausting these conservative non-surgical measures before considering surgery. Plans are tailored to patient needs through shared decision-making between Dr. Hess and his patients, with the ultimate goal to eliminate pain and return them to their pre-injury status.
Baton Rouge Hip Replacements
Dr. Hess is trained in the minimally invasive direct anterior hip replacement approach, meaning that the joint is accessed from the front of the hip, as opposed to the side of the hip, which is how conventional hip replacements have been performed. The anterior hip replacement approach often allows for a smaller incision, less disruption of muscles and nerves in the surrounding area and, potentially a quicker recovery.
Signs that you may need
a hip replacement:
Persistent and severe groin and thigh pain
Hip aches during and after exercise
Limited mobility
Medication and walking aid do not relieve pain
Hip stiffens up from longer periods of sitting
Increased joint pain in rainy weather
Pain affects ability to sleep restfully
Decrease in hip motion or the degree to which you are able to bend
Hip is stiff or swollen
Difficulty walking or climbing stairs
Difficulty getting in and out of chairs and bathtubs
Morning stiffness that typically lasts less than 30 minutes (as opposed to stiffness lasting longer than 45 minutes, a sign of an inflammatory condition called rheumatoid arthritis)
A "grating" feeling in your joint
Previous injury to hip
Baton Rouge Knee Replacements
Many times, damage through injury or arthritis is so severe that non-invasive therapies and medicine are not able to adequately address pain and loss of function. Through an in office exam and evaluation, Dr. Hess can determine whether a patient is a candidate for knee replacement surgery. In a total knee replacement, the ends of the bone are resurfaced, removing the diseased bone, and replacing it with new metallic implants, which eliminates the painful motion and friction between these damaged ends.
Signs you may need
a knee replacement:
Severe knee pain that limits your everyday activities
Moderate or severe knee pain while resting
Inflammation or swelling that is not remedied through medication
A bowing in or out of your leg
Knee stiffness
Medication does not provide relief from pain
Common Upper Extremity Injuries
Signs that you may have a severe, traumatic upper extremity injury:
Pain, swelling and bruising near the injury site
Severely restricted movement at the joint
Numbness and tingling in the arm, forearm, or hand
Deformity (an unusual appearance) of the upper arm
Proximal humerus fractures typically are the result of a fall or collision of some kind where the shoulder joint is directly or indirectly impacted. It is critical that traumatic injuries to the humerus be treated as quickly as possible, in order to preserve motion and mobility.
Similarly, a distal radius fracture involves a break in the end of the forearm bone (or bones) that make up half of the wrist joint. These are often the result of falling onto an out stretched arm.
Depending on the severity of the upper extremity injury, surgery may be necessary. Diagnostic imaging is used to determine the best course of treatment. Non-displaced fractures (fractured bone has remained in place) may often be treated without surgery. If the fracture is displaced (the fractured bone has moved and is no longer aligned), the patient will typically require surgery.
Common Lower Extremity Orthopedic Injuries
Dr. Hess treats all lower extremity injuries from the pelvis to the toes. Common fractures treated include pelvic and acetabulum (hip socket) fractures, hip fractures, and fractures around the knee and ankle.
Pelvic and acetabulum fractures are often high-energy injuries, such as car accidents, falls from a height, or other significant trauma. With an aging population these fractures are becoming more common, often the result of a simple fall from standing. Many of these fractures can be treated conservatively, however, significantly displaced fractures often benefit from surgery.
Hip fractures involve breaks through the top of the femur (thigh bone) around the level of the hip joint. These are extremely common injuries. Most of these injuries benefit from surgery to get back up and moving as soon as possible. This may include stabilizing the bone with implants, or replacing a portion of the bone. Timely surgery is often recommended. This is especially for patients who are older, as our ability to rehab often diminishes with age, and ultimately the goal of surgery is to preserve function and minimize pain. Fortunately, advances in this area of orthopaedics have led to shortened surgical procedure times, faster recoveries, and better outcomes.
Treating Pelvic Fractures
An acetabular fracture is a break in the socket portion of the "ball-and-socket" hip joint. These fractures are typically the result of high impact injuries, such as car collisions and require immediate medical attention. Surgery is typically required to stabilize the fracture and allow is to heal.