Orthopedic Surgery

What Is Orthopedic Surgery?

Orthopedic (or orthopaedic) surgery is any surgical procedure that involves the musculoskeletal system. This includes bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and cartilage. Originally, orthopedic surgery was referenced only in the abnormal development of children and how to best help them overcome any functional issues they had.

These days, orthopedic surgery is considered a cornerstone of modern medicine and has expanded to include anyone suffering from a medical condition involving the skeleton or musculature.

What Do Orthopedic Surgeons Do?

Orthopedic surgeons specialize in correcting mechanical and functional issues present in bones, muscles and connective tissue.

Orthopedic surgeons typically undergo a four year pre-med degree at university, followed by an additional four years of medical school. Once they have graduated, they spend another four to five years in residency at a hospital to hone their skills and knowledge in orthopedics. Every orthopedic surgeon is extremely skilled in their field and takes the utmost care with their patients to ensure a smooth recovery.

All orthopedic surgeries are performed under general anesthetic due to their usually invasive nature. Examples of surgeries that orthopedic surgeons perform include resetting broken bones, reattaching torn ligaments and muscles, installing metal plates to improve stability or healing, and replacing worn out joints such as hips or knees.

Who Needs Orthopedic Surgery?

Orthopedic surgery covers a wide range of conditions and many different types of patients may need to meet with an orthopedic surgeon.

Anyone suffering from a broken bone, from the spine to the leg, may need to have surgery to correct it. Sports injuries are common causes for needing orthopedic surgery, as torn ligaments and muscles are relatively common in contact sports. Age is another factor when looking at orthopedic surgery, as joints can wear down over time and require replacing, especially hips and knees.

Some cases can be helped with physical therapy before having to make the decision to proceed with invasive orthopedic surgery. Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital has a well established Physical Therapy department that can assist with any patient whose conditions do not yet require surgery.

How Are Orthopedic Surgeries Assessed?

Before you head into the operating theater, there will be extensive diagnostics and assessments run to ensure all issues are treated effectively and that your recovery time can be as fast as possible.

You will have a consultation with your orthopedic surgeon, who will ask you a range of questions relating to your pain levels, mobility, and overall quality of life. You will likely be asked to get x-rays, MRIs, or ultrasounds so that the doctors can understand fully what is happening in the problem area and can create an action plan accordingly.

You may also be asked for blood tests or biopsies to determine levels of certain important nutrients and compounds in your body prior to surgery to ensure you will be fit enough to recover. A detailed patient history will also be collected to ensure any allergies or past negative reactions to medications are avoided.

What Orthopedic Surgeries Do We Perform?

At Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, we are proud to offer a comprehensive suite of orthopedic surgeries by one of the most experienced orthopedic surgeons in the Upper Peninsula. Some of our offered surgeries include:

• Total Hip Replacements
• Total Knee Replacements
• Total Shoulder Replacement
• Joint and Ligament Repair
• Full Knee Replacement
• Shoulder Reconstruction
• Hand Surgery
• Elbow Surgery
• Total shoulder replacement
• Bone and Tendon Grafts
• Bunionectomy
• Arthroscopic Surgeries of the Knee, Ankle, Shoulder, Elbow
• Knee Ligament reconstruction
• Carpal Tunnel Surgery/Trigger Finger Release/ Ganglion Excision
• Fracture Care
• Sports Medicine

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Orthopedic Surgery?

Recovery time for orthopedic surgery can vary significantly based on how extensive the surgery was, your age, overall health, and if there are any complicating factors.

For example, a standard knee replacement may only take 30 to 45 minutes of actual surgery, but standard recovery times are usually between four to six weeks. This is because of the invasiveness of the surgery and the high number of different factors involved in the healing process.

On the other hand, a surgery such as a shoulder reconstruction can take up to six months to fully regain proper use of the joint. This surgery is much more complex and involves a larger area of the body with more musculature, and so complete recovery is a time consuming process.

Overall a typical recovery period for an orthopedic surgery is generally around six weeks. You do not want to rush recovering from these kinds of surgeries, as it may impact your ability to regain normal function in the future.

Meet Our Orthopedic Surgeons

Joseph Hance, MD

Joseph Hance, MD, is a general orthopedic surgeon who has extensive experience in the evaluation of patients with shoulder, knee, hip, elbow and problems including trauma.

The native Detroiter graduated from Wayne State Medical School in 1977. He completed a five-year program in orthopedic surgery at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, in1982. In the same year, Dr. Hance began his practice with Bay Street Orthopedics where he continues to work as consultant.
Dr. Hance joined the Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital Department of Orthopedic Surgery in December 2019. Dr. Hance has lived in Northern Michigan for the past 37 years and enjoys all the amenities the north has to offer. In his spare time he enjoys life on the water, reading, travel and spending time with his family.
Dr. Hance works as a full time-orthopedic surgeon offering consultation and surgical procedures when indicated.

To book an appointment please contact the Specialist Clinic at 906-341-2153 EXT 1