Trauma surgery is the specialization in surgery that focuses on the treatment and care of injuries, often life-threatening, bone fractures, joint dislocations or sprains, soft tissue lesions of limbs and pelvis that are caused by impact forces. The causes of impact forces are many, but some of the more common ones include traffic accidents, falls, sports and crush injuries, as well as gunshot or stabbing wounds. It is possible to treat with minimally invasive surgery or ultra-light cast reduction.

Our trauma surgeons are adequately trained and equipped to identify and handle injuries to the head and neck, abdominal area, chest, legs, feet, arms and hands. Any patient that has experienced traumatic physical injury may be seen by a trauma specialist.

Methods used to assess the extent of injury include radiographic X-rays and CT-scans as well as MRI’s. With these tools the surgeon is able to identify damage to internal organs and hemorrhaging. Trauma surgeons work closely with emergency staff in the resuscitative and stabilization efforts of the patient.

Trauma surgeons at Advance Surgical Associates are highly specialized with board certifications in General Surgery and Trauma/Surgical Critical Care. This provides expertise not only in the field of general and trauma surgery, but also allows us to care for patients that require the intensive care unit (ICU) from conditions related to their trauma injury or from other critical illnesses, such as sepsis, respiratory failure, multi-organ failure, coagulopathy, etc.

Some procedures that a trauma surgeon performs include:

• Exploratory laparotomy
• Emergency thoracotomy
• Resuscitation
• Chest wall surgery (Surgical rib fixation)
• Splenectomy
• Liver repair
• Intestine repair and/or removal
• Stomach repair
• Tracheostomy

Following discharge from the hospital, the trauma surgeon will often follow up with patents in the clinic. In addition to providing continuation of care for surgeries performed, we also provide clinic follow up for non-operative conditions, such as rib fractures, soft tissue injuries, lacerations, solid organ injuries, and many other conditions.