Traumatic injury is the nation’s fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of long-term disability. When minutes can make the difference between life and death, turn to the orthopedic traumatologists at Mercy.

In partnership with Iowa Orthopaedic Center (IOC), board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgery traumatologists provide care for adult and pediatric patients with injuries ranging from simple fractures to severe, life threatening multiple traumas.

Treatment may include:

• open fractures and dislocations (such as a kneecap, jaw, elbow or hip dislocation)
• fractures of the pelvis and acetabulum
• fractures of the upper and lower extremities
• specialized posttraumatic reconstruction
• nonunions, mal-unions and infections such as osteomyelitis

Most orthopedic traumatology starts in the emergency room when patients arrive with injuries from unplanned events, such as an auto accident, workplace injury or fall. However, the traumatologists also see patients in an outpatient setting for comprehensive evaluation and follow-up care.

As the only central Iowa hospital to provide around-the-clock orthopedic trauma surgery, Mercy’s Level II Trauma Center provides patients with coordinated care, state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and access to the Mercy One emergency helicopter and other emergency services.