CLINICAL ORTHOPAEDICS & TRAUMATOLOGY - VOLUME I

INTRODUCTION TO ORTHOPAEDICS Orthopedic surgery, or orthopedics (alternatively spelled orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery that involves the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spinal disorders, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital disorders. Differences in Spelling As with many words derived with the "æ" ligature, the simplification to "ae" or just "e" is common, especially in North America. In the US, the majority of colleges, universities and residency programs, and even the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, still use the spelling with the digraph ae, although hospitals often use the shortened form. Elsewhere, usage is not uniform; In Canada, both spellings are acceptable; "Orthopaedics" is the common spelling in the UK in line with other fields that retain the "ae".