Orthopaedic Trauma

Injured American football player laying on a grass

UCLA Health excellence in orthopaedic trauma care

Our orthopaedic trauma service was established in 1978 to provide dedicated support to UCLA Health’s Level 1 trauma center. We offer 24-hour state-of-the-art care for all orthopaedic trauma-related emergencies. Our specialists provide the full spectrum of surgical services, including reconstructive surgery, fracture care and deformity correction.

Highlights of our service include:

Renowned expertise: Our surgeons have an international reputation in orthopaedic trauma surgery, especially in reconstructive procedures. We specialize in salvaging previously failed orthopaedic trauma surgery, offering an expert approach.

Coordinated, team-based care: Our orthopaedic surgeons work closely with multiple teams to ensure comprehensive care. Treatment may include the expertise of general surgeons, hand surgeons, spine surgeons and neurosurgeons. We accept paramedic transports and transfers from community hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Techniques to optimize recovery: Our surgeons follow AO principles of fracture management. AO Trauma is a global organization that sets the standard for orthopaedic trauma care. We also use minimally invasive approaches whenever possible. These approaches maximize outcomes, leading to quicker recovery, less pain and a lower chance of infection.

Types of orthopaedic trauma injuries we treat

Our orthopaedic trauma team treats all types of complex fractures and bone deformities from head to toe. We specialize in:

Axial skeletal fractures: These bone breaks occur in the head, face, neck or back. These injuries are often severe and may also lead to brain, spine or nerve damage.

Complex polytrauma: Polytrauma means that a person has two or more severe injuries affecting different organs or body parts. It could include orthopaedic injuries, nerve damage, brain injuries, burns, spinal cord injuries and more.

Extremity nonunion and malunion: Nonunion and malunion refer to improper healing after a fracture. In nonunion, the bones fail to heal after an extended period. In malunion, the bones may heal in a deformed position.

Pelvic and acetabular fractures: These bone breaks affect the pelvic bones or the ball-and-socket joint of the hip (acetabulum). They most commonly occur because of a high-impact trauma, such as a car accident.

Post-traumatic deformities: Deformities refer to any disfigurement or distortion that arises from an injury. A deformity could occur because of the trauma sustained during the injury, or it could develop when bones heal improperly.

Orthopaedic surgeries we offer

Our trauma surgeons perform a full range of complex and advanced orthopaedic surgeries, including:

Distal femoral osteotomy: Surgically fracturing and realigning the knee to correct a malunion

Fracture fixation: Resetting and stabilizing broken bones to promote healing and restore function

Joint replacement: Removing all or a portion of a damaged joint and replacing it with artificial parts

Ligament reconstruction: Repairing or replacing damaged ligaments, bands of tissue that connect bones and support joints

Limb reconstruction: Restoring the function, length and shape of an arm or leg by replacing, repositioning or stabilizing bones and joints

Limb salvage: Reconstructing damaged bone with prosthetic parts, bone grafts or both to avoid amputation

Tendon reconstruction: Repairing or replacing damaged tendons, the connective tissues that attach muscle to bone

Our expert team

The orthopaedic trauma team offers comprehensive, world-class care for traumatic injuries affecting the bones and joints. We provide 24/7, state-of-the-art services in our Level 1 trauma center, using the gold standard AO principles of fracture management.