Trauma surgeons treat torn cruciate ligaments, broken bones and herniated discs, among other things. As a rule, patients require surgical treatment. The treatment spectrum ranges from simple procedures to complex, often multiple operations. Here you will find further information as well as selected trauma surgery specialists and centers.
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Article overview
Trauma surgery - Further information
What is trauma surgery?
Trauma surgery is a medical specialty that deals with the surgical treatment of injured patients. This includes
- Severely injured patients,
- accidents at work,
- leisure accidents and
- sports accidents.
Trauma surgery is closely linked to orthopaedics and traumatology due to its focus on trauma to the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system includes
- Bones,
- tendons,
- ligaments and
- muscles.

Highlighted joints and muscles of the musculoskeletal system © Axel Kock | AdobeStock
Patients are treated at specialized
- at specialized clinics for trauma surgery, orthopaedics and traumatology and/or
- by practicing specialists in orthopaedics and trauma surgery.
What qualifications do trauma surgeons need to have?
Trauma surgery specialists are usually called specialists in orthopaedics and trauma surgery.
To do this, trauma surgeons must have completed at least 6 years of further training. In the process, trauma surgery specialists acquire in-depth knowledge in the fields of orthopaedic surgery and traumatology.
A model training regulation issued by the German Medical Association specifies which examination and treatment procedures must be carried out and how often. This includes, for example, a minimum of 200 surgical procedures of various kinds.
After completing their specialist training, trauma surgery specialists can also complete additional training in special trauma surgery. This focuses on the treatment of more serious injuries (e.g. severely injured patients with polytrauma) and their subsequent conditions, as well as the
- organization,
- monitoring and
- implementation
of the treatment of severely injured patients.
Trauma surgeons often treat acute injuries © kokliang1981 | AdobeStock
Range of services provided by trauma surgeons
In the field of sports accidents / sports injuries, patients with
are often treated.
Recreational accidents often occur in older people (e.g. femoral neck fractures and vertebral fractures) and children (e.g. arm fractures).
- Accidents at work are usually associated with
- broken bones,
- bruises or other trauma,
- but sometimes also with severe, multiple injuries (polytrauma).
associated.
A special clinic for trauma surgery and traumatology is particularly necessary for the treatment of severely injured patients with polytrauma or traumatic brain injury.
In such a trauma center, state-of-the-art medical technology is available for diagnostics and initial treatment. This enables doctors to obtain an overview of the condition of the severely injured person with polytrauma within a very short time and initiate initial therapeutic measures.
Diagnostic procedures in trauma surgery
Every examination usually begins with a medical history and clinical examination. A suspected diagnosis can often already be made by the trauma surgeons.
This can then be confirmed or refuted with the help of imaging procedures. In particular
- the classic X-ray examination,
- computed tomography(CT) and
- magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)
are of great importance. CT and MRI are usually not available at doctors' surgeries, but only at specialized clinics due to the space requirements.
Imaging procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging are frequently used in trauma surgery © Nejron Photo | AdobeStock
These diagnostic procedures provide trauma surgery specialists with precise information about the extent of any bone fractures or other internal injuries.
Therapeutic measures used in trauma surgery
In most cases, the only option for injuries requiring trauma surgery is an operation as part of orthopaedic surgery.
This can range from simple surgical interventions for non-complicated bone fractures or simple trauma to extensive and multiple operations for severely injured patients with polytrauma. Specialists from other medical disciplines are often involved in the care of polytrauma patients.
Conservative treatments play a subordinate role in initial treatment. However, drug therapies to relieve pain or inhibit inflammation, for example, may be necessary.
After an operation, physiotherapy is often necessary, e.g. to mobilize immobilized joints or extremities. If there is no compelling indication for an operation, conservative treatments can help to avoid operations that are not absolutely necessary.
Electrotherapy / stimulation current therapy can also be used, for example
- in the treatment of pain,
- for relaxing and tensing muscles and
- to improve blood circulation
can be used.
Medical spectrum
Therapies
Diseases
- Accidental injuries
- Ankle fracture
- Biceps tendon injury
- Bone fracture
- Burn(s)
- Distal fracture of the radius
- Femoral neck fracture
- Fracture of the acetabulum
- Fracture of the patella
- Growth plate fracture
- Joint injuries
- Ligament injury
- Luxating patella
- Meniscal tear
- Osteomyelitis
- Pelvic fracture
- Polytrauma / Multitrauma / Multiple trauma
- Pseudarthrosis
- Ruptured spleen
- Spinal fracture
- Sports injuries
- Tendon injury
- Unstable pelvic injury