Orthopedics is an ancient medical science right up to modern science.

Bone is a living and functional organ in the body.

Broken or deformed bone can be repaired or repaired to its normal state through splinting and other treatments. It is called orthopedic surgery.

Orthopedics dating to the Neolithic period.

Orthopedics concept

The modern orthopedic term comes from an ancient word that is a combination of the Greek words orthos meaning straightener (without curvature) and paidios meaning child. In 1741, French physician Nicolas André published a book on the prevention and correction of skeletal deformities in children. He chose the word orthopedics as the title of his book, which has since become popular for treating all kinds of bone healing problems. Interestingly, Andre’s book shows a picture of a small crooked tree tied to a flat, stable piece of wood. This image has become a world symbol of orthopedics.

Orthopedics is an ancient art. The history of orthopedic surgery can be classified into three periods.

Ancient orthopedics

Evidence indicates that orthopedic surgery dates back to early humanity and that bone diseases, such as fractures and amputations, existed in primitive times. The effects of using splints to treat fractures are also seen in the remains of that era.

Later civilizations also had inventive ways to manage orthopedic injuries. For example, the Shoshone Indians, who lived around 700-2000 BC; Use splints made of wet skin. Some South Australian tribes used dried clay as gypsum.

Mummified objects, murals, and hieroglyphs also depict some of the orthopedic equipment used by the ancient Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians had new methods of splinting. Traces of splinting were discovered in 1903. There are examples of how the thighs and arms were cut up until 300 BC. Other examples of bamboo and straw splints filled with cloth have been found in mummies. Or works that show that the Egyptians used a stick to facilitate movement.

The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical text. The papyrus found in the tombs is about five meters long and is believed to date back to at least 1600 BC. The papyrus describes 48 cases of injury, fracture, wound, dislocation, and tumor. Treatments mentioned in this papyrus include closing wounds with sutures, dressings, splints, and compresses, preventing and improving infections with honey, and stopping bleeding with raw meat.

The Greeks also had a great deal of knowledge about fractures and dislocations and wrote many books on the subject. Their knowledge in the field of orthopedics was extensive. Scoliosis was recognized by the ancient Greeks as a disease and many attempts were made to treat it, often without success.

In the 12th century, the Italian School of Salerno used bands reinforced with a mixture of flour and eggs as gypsum to hold bones in place.

Medieval Europeans used gypsum made from egg whites, flour, and animal fats.

During medieval wars, field surgeons used wet clothing to make splints on horses’ injured limbs. Supports broken or damaged limbs when clothes are dry and stiff.

Orthopedic surgery from the eighteenth to the twentieth century

When orthopedics began as a specialty, it focused more on caring for children with disabilities who had disorders of the spine and other organs. The Orthopedic Institute in Orbe, Switzerland, was founded in 1780 to treat skeletal deformities in children with disabilities.

For a long time, orthopedics was just a physical specialty. Doctors use physical methods to orthopedic and repair joints, then immobilize the bone in place until it is treated with a cast or splint. Pelvic fractures were among the most common injuries doctors neglected to treat. The patient was only asked to rest and to give the pelvic bones a chance to heal. The patient usually has problems walking and bending and causing disability.

In the 19th century, thousands of children became infected with polio, many of whom needed special medical care.

In the 1930s, special nails were invented to hold broken and damaged pieces of bone together so they could be repaired better and more regularly. A few years later, metal devices were invented to replace the femoral head, which forms part of the hip joint and often does not heal after a fracture. Later, the entire hip joint was reconstructed to replace the patient’s missing joint.

These developments continued for years until today’s most modern orthopedic methods were used. Currently, orthopedic surgeons continue to use physical techniques to replace fractures and joints and splints to immobilize injured bones. Auxiliary methods such as X-rays are used to accurately diagnose the affected area and check the stages of bone healing.

The twentieth century can be considered a major turning point for orthopedic surgery. The need to rehabilitate the war-wounded, the discovery of x-rays, the production of penicillin and other antibiotics, as well as joint replacement techniques and diagnostic tools, all contributed specifically to the development of orthopedics.

Advances in the modern era

Today, it is estimated that up to 80% of orthopedic treatments are outpatient.

Orthopedic patients have benefited from technological advances such as joint replacement and arthroscopy, which allow an orthopedic surgeon to see inside a joint. This treatment may be done in conjunction with diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays, or other tests. Treatment requires medical advice, medication, the use of splints, physiotherapy, dietary changes, and surgery in critical cases.

In many cases, the surgery is done without an open incision. Arthroscopy can be inserted into joints such as the knee to identify and treat the injury. In arthroscopic surgery, the surgeon inserts an arthroscope of a very small diameter into the joint through a small hole. It connects to the fiber-optic arthroscope and a video camera attached to it that displays the images on the screen. The surgeon inserts other surgical tools through another hole to treat the injury.

One of the most important advances in imaging over the past three decades has been the increased accuracy of ultrasound imaging, which has made it easier to detect abnormalities. The development of digital X-rays was also a factor that made it possible to improve imaging performance as well as reduce the use of X-ray films. The obvious advantages of this system are less archiving space and higher-quality images.

3D models of CT and MRI allow orthopedic surgeons and manufacturers of prosthetics to provide patients with their disease-specific implants.

The evolution of commercial orthopedics

As the world’s population ages, so needs orthopedic equipment. The orthopedic devices market is also leaning towards physiological alternatives. For example, the focus of the medical market is on implants, smart devices, and systems. This is the result of the combined effect of constant consumption pressure and increasing market demand. It was necessary to reduce the production costs of such equipment. For this reason, orthopedic medical companies need to think of ways to reduce costs, both in terms of production and worldwide distribution.

However, there are many well-known companies in the field of orthopedics and its products. Some of them are very well known and some less so.