Division of Orthopaedic Trauma

The Division of Orthopaedic Trauma is comprised of 14 members based throughout the province.

Every year, thousands of British Columbians sustain critical injuries as a result of accidents. When multiple traumas, fractures, sprains and other bone and soft tissue injuries are suffered, the patient often requires the immediate attention of the orthopaedic trauma surgeon. The major focus for complex adult trauma is at the Vancouver General Hospital and the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, which serve as the province’s quaternary referral centres for orthopaedic trauma in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Intramedullary nailing is an area of specialization the Division employs in the treatment of long bone injuries. The Division also concentrates on the management of complex periarticular and pelvic fractures. Some of the more common surgical techniques in the treatment of fractures include internal fixation (aligning and immobilizing the break using plates and screws or a rod) and external fixation (inserting pins into the bone through the skin and applying a metal frame around the limb). Post-traumatic reconstructive surgery includes limb shortening and lengthening and is also an area of expertise.