Your Choice for Orthopedic Care

At East Cooper Medical Center, we have created an orthopedic program to fit your needs. From nonsurgical treatment options and a full complement of sports medicine and minimally invasive interventions to advanced robotic-arm-assisted total joint replacements, we are committed to delivering the highest level of care for our patients.

Our team of experts has extensive experience in helping treat various orthopedic conditions. Our services include the following:

• Joint Replacements
• Sports Medicine
• Hand and Wrist Care
• Spine Care
• Foot and Ankle Care
• Rehabilitation and Therapy
• Pain Management
• Joint Preservation

What Is Orthopedics?

Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that deals with diseases and conditions of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system consists of muscles, bones, ligaments, joints and tendons.

What Do Orthopedic Doctors Do?

Orthopedic doctors, also called orthopedic surgeons or orthopedists, are the ones who diagnose and treat diseases and conditions of the musculoskeletal system. They also assist in rehabilitation, help prevent future orthopedic-related injuries or prevent chronic conditions from worsening. Even though they focus on the musculoskeletal system, some orthopedic surgeons choose to have a subspecialty. The subspecialty areas include the following:

• Spine
• Hip and Knee
• Hand and Wrist
• Shoulder and Elbow
• Foot and Ankle
• Sports Medicine
• Trauma Surgery

What Is Considered an Orthopedic Surgery?

Most surgeries concerning the musculoskeletal system are considered to be orthopedic surgery. These include knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, foot, ankle spinal and neck surgeries. Some specific examples of orthopedic surgeries are as follows:

• ACL Reconstruction Surgery
• Ankle Replacement Surgery
• Arthroscopy
• Bone Fracture Repair
• Cervical Disc Surgery
• Herniated Disk Surgery
• Hip Replacement Surgery
• Joint Fusion Surgery
• Knee Replacement Surgery
• Laminectomy
• Osteotomy
• Rotator Cuff Surgery
• Shoulder Replacement Surgery
• Spinal Fusion
• Tommy John Surgery / Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) Reconstruction
• Torn Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Surgery
• Vertebroplasty / Kyphoplasty

What Are the Most Common Orthopedic Surgeries?

The most common orthopedic surgeries are as follows:

• Joint Arthroscopy – this minimally invasive procedure inserts a probe to the joint to diagnose and repair the damaged joint.
• Fracture Repair – a series of various techniques and procedures depending on how severe the damage or injury is. It may involve pins and plates, immobilization and external pinning and frames.
• Arthroplasty – most common of which are the hip and knee replacements due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• General repair procedures on damaged muscle or tendon.
• Corrective Surgery – process of correcting alignment within the musculoskeletal system which might limit or cause long-term problems

Orthopedic Treatments at East Cooper Medical Center

While surgery is an option to treat your musculoskeletal concern, our orthopedic surgeons at Mount Pleasant, SC, usually recommend less intrusive treatments first.

Nonsurgical Treatments

Exercise

Suggesting specific exercises and stretches might be the first thing your orthopedic doctor might recommend to improve your strength, flexibility and range of motion.

Immobilization

Some areas of injuries or conditions are better left immobilized. Talk to your orthopedic doctor about if you should keep moving or stay put, or if you should go to the nearest orthopedic center if the pain gets unbearable.

Medications

Medications that may be suggested by your orthopedic doctor include over the counter medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin or prescription drugs like corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory medicines for swelling and pain.

Lifestyle changes

These might include a certain exercise routine, diet or just guidance to execute certain exercises to prevent further injuries in the future or prevent the current injury from getting worse.

Surgical Treatments

Hand and Wrist Surgeries

Hand and wrist surgeries may include the following:

• Fracture repair to fix bones in the hand or fingers
• Joint replacement, also called arthroplasty, in people with severe arthritis of the hand
• Nerve repair
• Surgical drainage to remove a collection of pus if there is an abscess in the hand
• Tendon repair

Joint Replacements

The hip and knee joints, and every other joint in the body, can develop arthritis over time, leading to wear and tear of the cartilage. Joint replacements are taking the damaged part of the joint and replacing them with a prosthesis.

Stryker Mako: Robotic-arm-Assisted Surgery

When you hear “robotic-arm-assisted technology,” it’s important to understand that the Mako robotic arm does not perform the actual surgery. Surgeries are performed by our orthopedic surgeons in Mt. Pleasant who use the Mako System software to pre-plan your surgery. Your orthopedic surgeon will guide the robotic arm to remove diseased bone and cartilage. Then the orthopedic surgeon will insert your joint implant. Mako technology was designed to help surgeons provide patients with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy.

Radlink GPS: Surgical Imaging

Radlink GPS provides real-time feedback on cup position, offset, femoral leg length correction for posterior and anterior approach hip arthroplasty. Surgical guidance includes planning and imaging evaluation tools for orthopedic surgeons to verify accurate implant placement in joint reconstruction procedures.

Spine Surgery

Minimally invasive surgeries for back pain commonly use a tiny camera and a long, thin surgical instrument inserted through very small incisions such as laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery.

ExcelsiusGPS Robotic Navigation

At East Cooper Medical Center, we use a robotic navigation platform combining a rigid robotic arm and full navigation capabilities into one adaptable platform designed to provide more accurate alignment in spine surgery. The platform is designed to improve accuracy and optimize patient care by using both robotics and navigation. With the help of this advanced technology, the surgeon can visualize, plan and navigate patient anatomy in real-time.

When to Consult an Orthopedic Doctor in Mt. Pleasant?

If you experience the following symptoms, consult your orthopedic doctor or go to the nearest orthopedic hospital:

• Persistent, recurring and unresponsive to home care pain and swelling
• Decrease in mobility
• Difficulty performing daily activities
• Numbness or tingling sensation
• Bone or joint injury