Plastic and reconstructive surgery and orthopaedics interdisciplinary cooperation in the management of extremity injuries: Review
Abstract
Gradual particularization of medicine, as witnessed during the second half of the 20th century, resulted in a detailed development of individual subspecializations. Association of therapeutic options resulting from enormous development of these subspecialization brought a new dimension to the treatment of formerly unmanageable conditions.
The closest cooperation between a plastic surgeon and a traumatologist is required in the management of patients with serious extremitiy injuries. The conditions include, in particular, amputations of extremities without skeletal and soft tissue devastation, where replantation may be considered, and extensive soft tissue and skeletal injuries, requiring replacement of the missing soft tissue cover following the treatment of the skeletal parts.
A new aspect of the cooperation includes common care for infected long bone fractures and osteomyelitides, where primary and extensive skeletal and soft tissue debridement is followed by covering the defect with a muscular or a musculocutaneous flap, facilitating reperfusion and infection management.