Post-Traumatic Reconstruction
Nonunion
A nonunion is a bone that was fractured and did not heal. There are many types of nonunions. Some bones do not heal because they were not fixed appropriately. Others fail to unite because the bone is infected, the patient is not healthy or perhaps did not follow instructions. Some examples of health risks for nonunion are vascular disease, diabetes, patients with cancer or immune diseases and especially SMOKERS! Cigarette smoke directly inhibits bone healing and has been scientifically shown to prevent healing in all types of surgery. Many patients develop a nonunion for unknown reasons. Orthopaedic surgeons can become frustrated with nonunions and their complexity. We enjoy treating these difficult problems and welcome the most challenging cases.
Nonunions often are complicated by broken hardware and deformity of the bone. This makes these procedures very complex because they require removal of hardware and deformity correction on top of the treatment of the nonunion.
Dr. Rhorer is particularly interested in treating nonunions of the lower extremity and deformity correction. He has extensive experience with post-traumatic reconstruction and deformity correction. He has completed a mini-fellowship in Kurgan, Russia where he studied the method of Ilizarov, a ground breaking technique in orthopedic surgery, at the Russian Ilizarov Science Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopedics. Dr. Rhorer is also certified in the use of the Taylor Spatial Frame, a revolutionary external fixation technology that utilizes the method of Ilizarov coupled with computer software for deformity correction. He is frequently invited locally and nationally to lecture on the topic of external fixation and nonunion management.
Dr. Rhorer uses a methodical approach to treatment of nonunions with collaboration on the behalf of infectious diseases, hyperbaric oxygen, plastic surgery and internal medicine. Nonunion is a biological problem and requires a whole system approach. We use the latest scientifically proven technologies to tackle these challenging problems. If you have a nonunion please call our office for a consultation.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is the medical term for infection of bone. This is not an uncommon occurrence after orthopaedic trauma, particularly bad open fractures. Osteomyelitis is a strange diseases and has often been called the great imitator because of its ability to appear like other illnesses. Bone infection can lie dormant for years only to spring back into action later in life. Bone infection often results in bone loss and even amputation. There are many techniques, old and new, for salvage that the surgeons at Sonoran Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons are capable of utilizing. We have a close relationship with the hyperbaric unit at Scottsdale Healthcare. Hyperbaric oxygen has been shown to be effective in the treatment of osteomyelitis.
We do not treat osteomyelitis associated with diabetic neuropathy or the diabetic foot.
