Internal Fixation is a method of stabilizing bones (and sometimes joints) using implants placed inside the body. It is a surgical concept and a family of procedures that use devices like plates, screws, nails, pins, and wires. It is commonly used in trauma surgery for fractures and in planned orthopedic surgery for osteotomies and fusions. Its core goal is to hold tissues in a stable position to support healing and function.
An External Fixator is a device used to stabilize bones from outside the body. It is an orthopedic device and surgical construct rather than an anatomic structure or disease. It commonly supports fracture care, limb reconstruction, and temporary “damage-control” stabilization in trauma. It is frequently used when soft-tissue conditions make internal implants less suitable.
Vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive spine procedure used to treat certain painful vertebral body fractures or lesions. It involves injecting bone cement into a collapsed or weakened vertebra to improve internal stability. Vertebroplasty is a procedure (interventional musculoskeletal/spine technique), not a diagnosis. It is most commonly discussed in osteoporosis-related vertebral compression fractures and in selected tumor-related vertebral lesions.
Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive spine procedure used to treat certain vertebral compression fractures. It is a procedure that aims to stabilize a fractured vertebral body and may help reduce fracture-related pain. It is most commonly used in orthopedic spine and neurosurgical practice, often with interventional radiology support. It is typically performed under image guidance in a hospital or ambulatory surgical setting.
Foraminotomy is a spine surgery that enlarges an intervertebral foramen to relieve pressure on a spinal nerve root. It is a **procedure**, most commonly used in orthopedic spine and neurosurgical practice. It is typically performed in the **cervical** or **lumbar** spine when foraminal narrowing causes radicular symptoms. The goal is neural decompression while preserving as much stabilizing anatomy as is reasonable for the case.
Microdiscectomy is a surgical procedure used to treat certain symptomatic spinal disc herniations. It is a procedure that aims to relieve nerve root compression by removing herniated disc material. It is most commonly performed in the lumbar spine for radicular leg pain (sciatica). It is used in orthopedic spine surgery and neurosurgery practice when symptoms and imaging correlate.
Discectomy is a surgical procedure that removes part of an intervertebral disc. It is used to reduce pressure on nearby neural structures, most often a nerve root. Discectomy is a procedure commonly performed in spine surgery, especially in the lumbar and cervical regions. In practice, it is discussed when imaging shows disc herniation that matches a patient’s neurologic symptoms.
Laminectomy is a spinal **procedure** that removes part or all of the **lamina** (the posterior bony “roof” of a vertebra). Its plain purpose is to **create more space** for the spinal cord or nerve roots when they are compressed. It is most commonly used in the **cervical and lumbar spine** for degenerative narrowing (stenosis) and related conditions. In practice, it is discussed in orthopedic spine, neurosurgery, rehabilitation, and perioperative care settings.
Spinal Fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently joins two or more vertebrae. Its plain meaning is “making a segment of the spine heal into one solid bone unit.” It is a procedure used in orthopedic spine surgery and neurosurgery to address painful or unstable spinal motion. It is commonly used in degenerative disease, deformity, trauma, tumor, and certain infections when stability is a primary goal.
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure used to look inside a joint and, when needed, treat joint problems. It is a surgical procedure and also a diagnostic method because it can confirm intra-articular pathology directly. It is commonly used in orthopedic practice for the knee and shoulder, and also for the hip, ankle, elbow, and wrist. It relies on a small camera (arthroscope) and specialized instruments inserted through small incisions.