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 discectomy, spinal injury, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, herniated disc, carpal tunnel syndrome, scoliosis, spinal deformity, spinal cord tumors, arthritis, trigger finger, tennis elbow, wrist fractures, ganglion cysts, orthopaedic trauma, brachial plexus injuries, and congenital deformities.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including disc disease / surgery, hand surgery, hip replacement, back / spine surgery , invasive disc surgery, joint surgery, kyphosis surgery, shoulder arthroscopy and débridement, repair of ankle fracture (bimalleolar type), repair fracture of radius (bone)/ulna, knee replacement, laminectomy, total joint reconstruction (arthroplasty), spine surgery, foot and ankle surgery, lumbar spinal fusion, carpal tunnel release, repair of femoral shaft fracture, repair of rotator cuff tendon, and repair of ankle fracture (fibula).

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including cat scan, mri arthrogram, magnetic resonance imaging (mri), computed axial tomography (ct or cat scan), x-ray, pet scan, bone scans, hip ultrasound, gallium scan, medical photography, and spine ultrasound.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Delaware has 89 practicing orthopedic surgeons. Broken out by city, orthopedic surgery doctor density in Dover is 11, in Georgetown is 3, in Glasgow is 1, in Hockessin is 4, in Lewes is 17, in Middletown is 9, in Milford is 8, in Millsboro is 3, in Millville is 1, in Newark is 28, in Ocean View is 4, in Seaford is 5, in Smyrna is 3, and in Wilmington is 43.

Delaware, located on the Atlantic Ocean, was the first state to ratify the constitution of the United States in 1787. Delaware’s population is 843,524, and its capital city is Dover. In Wilmington, visit the Grand Opera House or the Old Town Hall Museum built in 1798, or the Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford. Drive to the Atlantic shore, or go bird-watching, fishing, hiking, biking, or canoeing in Delaware’s extensive park and trail systems. Dover is home to parks, historic museums, clubs, theater and dance, and offers bargain-hunting at tax-free outlet stores and antiques shops.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Delaware has a population of 843,524. Of this population, 189,940 are under the age of 18 and 111,761 are at or above the age of 65.