Orthopedic surgery deals with problems of the spine and the extremities. An orthopedic surgeon diagnoses and treats patients whose musculoskeletal problems include arthritis, trauma and congenital deformities. He or she also works with patients who have traumatic and overuse injuries. Using both surgical and non-surgical means, the orthopedic surgeon will treat injuries and degenerative problems of the spine and extremities, such as hands, feet, knees, shoulders and elbows.
Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Spinal Infection, Spinal Deformity, Spinal Discectomy, Spinal Stenosis, Spinal Injury, Herniated Disc, Carpal tunnel syndrome, Scoliosis, Spondylolisthesis, Spinal Cord Tumors, arthritis, Tennis elbow, Trigger finger, Ganglion cysts, Wrist fractures, Brachial plexus injuries, Orthopaedic trauma, and congenital deformities.
Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Kyphosis Surgery, Disc Disease / Surgery, Joint Surgery, Hand surgery, Back / Spine Surgery , Hip Replacement, Invasive Disc Surgery, Repair fracture of radius (bone)/ulna, Shoulder arthroscopy and débridement, Repair of ankle fracture (bimalleolar type), Total joint reconstruction (arthroplasty), Laminectomy, Spine surgery, Knee replacement, Lumbar spinal fusion, Foot and ankle surgery, Carpal tunnel release, Removal of support implant, Low back intervertebral disc surgery, and Knee arthroscopy and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including MRI arthrogram, Cat Scan, x-ray, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), PET scan, Gallium Scan, Hip Ultrasound, Medical Photography, Bone Scans, and Spine Ultrasound.
Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Alaska has 71 practicing orthopedic surgeons. Broken out by city, orthopedic surgery doctor density in Anchorage is 42, in Elmendorf Afb is 4, in Fairbanks is 9, in Fort Wainwright is 3, in Homer is 1, in Juneau is 5, in Ketchikan is 2, in Kodiak is 2, in Palmer is 4, in Soldotna is 1, and in Wasilla is 1.
Alaska became the 49th state in 1959, and Juneau is its capital city. Comprising 586,000 square miles, the population is 663,661. Also called the Land of the Midnight Sun, Alaska’s average winter temperatures are around 20°F, so tourism is active all year round. You can study Alaska’s native culture, take a dogsled ride, enjoy skiing, snowboarding, skating, ice fishing, or a sea kayak ride. Enjoy winter carnivals and festivals. Take a cruise to view wildlife, including humpback whales, pan for gold, or fish for Alaska’s world-famous King salmon.
According to 2005 Census estimates, Alaska has a population of 663,661. Of this population, 172,628 are under the age of 18 and 43,134 are at or above the age of 65.
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