How Do I Choose an Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon?

Choose an orthopedic trauma surgeon who has focused training and experience treating injuries similar to yours. You should also review the complexity of the cases they treat, their background in fracture management, and the treatment options they provide. This can help you choose a surgeon who can address your immediate injury while also supporting your long-term recovery.

At Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our orthopedic trauma surgeon, Dr. Dennis Murphy, treats orthopedic injuries with a focus on restoring stability and long-term function. As Director of Orthopedic Trauma at NUMC, he regularly manages complex trauma cases. This experience helps him recognize the challenges of complex injuries and plan treatment accordingly. Call 855-321-6784 to book an appointment with Dr. Dennis Murphy in Long Island.

How Can You Find an Orthopedic Trauma Surgeon?

To find an orthopedic trauma surgeon, seek referrals from your primary care physician, emergency room, or another orthopedic provider who evaluated your injury. You can also check your insurance provider’s directory to find orthopedic trauma surgeons who accept your health plan. However, before scheduling your appointment, compare their clinical focus and patient reviews.

Since orthopedic injuries often require ongoing treatment and follow-up, you should also look for the following factors:

• Timely Evaluation: Check how quickly the surgeon can evaluate injuries that may need timely treatment.
• Treatment Resources: Look for access to imaging, hospital facilities, and surgical treatment when needed.
• Complex Injuries: Review whether the surgeon can manage injuries involving multiple bones, joints, muscles, or nearby tissues.
• Complete Treatment: Choose a practice that can guide you from the first evaluation through treatment and follow-up.
• Recovery Monitoring: Make sure your recovery can be monitored so treatment can be adjusted if your injury does not heal as expected.

Moreover, do not rely on the title “orthopedic trauma surgeon” alone. Some surgeons treat a wide range of fractures, while others focus on areas such as the pelvis, hip, leg, or joint-related fractures. Review their areas of practice to confirm they regularly treat injuries like yours and can manage their complexity. Before booking, also confirm that the surgeon you selected will personally evaluate your injury, review your imaging, make treatment decisions, and monitor your healing.

What Training Should a Trauma Surgeon Have?

A trauma surgeon should complete an orthopedic surgery residency and fellowship training in orthopedic trauma. This training covers complex fracture repair, bone realignment, and joint reconstruction after serious injuries. It also strengthens the surgical skills needed to manage fractures that heal incorrectly or require additional surgery.

A study of 6,919 surgically treated clavicle fractures compared outcomes by surgeon fellowship training. Orthopedic trauma fellowship-trained surgeons had the lowest early complication rate at 9.5%. In addition to fellowship training, look for a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. To earn certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, surgeons must complete required training and meet examination and practice standards. Surgeons must also meet ongoing requirements to maintain their certification.

What Makes Dr. Dennis Murphy a Top Trauma Specialist in Long Island?

Dr. Dennis Murphy is a fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeon with extensive experience in complex fracture management and reconstructive trauma surgery. He reviews the injury, current imaging, and healing progress before recommending surgery. If surgery is needed, he uses these findings to identify what needs to be repaired, realigned, or stabilized.

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeon also has experience managing complex fractures and polytrauma in patients with multiple serious injuries. Beyond his experience with complex injuries, the following aspects of Dr. Dennis Murphy’s practice can benefit your treatment:

• Trauma Leadership: He leads orthopedic trauma services at NUMC and helps guide the treatment of patients with serious injuries.
• High-Volume Trauma: Dr. Dennis Murphy works in a busy trauma setting, giving him experience with a wide range of difficult orthopedic injuries.
• Surgical Teaching: He mentors orthopedic residents in treating fractures and traumatic injuries while continuing his role in surgical education.
• Coordinated Treatment: Our surgeon manages patients with multiple injuries and coordinates orthopedic trauma care with other medical teams when needed.

What Injuries Does Dr. Dennis Murphy Treat?

Dr. Dennis Murphy treats complex fractures, pelvic and acetabular injuries, and orthopedic trauma involving multiple areas of the body. He also manages fractures that extend into joints or do not heal as expected. Depending on the injury, treatment may involve stabilization, surgical repair, reconstruction, or careful follow-up during healing.

He is also highly skilled in treating periacetabular injuries, which involve the bone surrounding the hip socket and can affect hip stability and function. If you have multiple injuries after an accident, Dr. Dennis Murphy evaluates how each injury may affect the others before recommending treatment. This helps ensure that treating one injury does not interfere with the recovery of another injured area.

When Should You See a Trauma Specialist?

You should see an orthopedic trauma specialist if you have a complex fracture, multiple injuries, or significant damage to a bone or joint. These injuries may require more focused evaluation than a routine fracture. Timely medical attention can help determine whether you need surgical or nonsurgical treatment.

You should also consult a trauma specialist in the following situations:

• Delayed Healing: Your fracture shows little or no healing during follow-up.
• Poor Alignment: A bone heals in an incorrect position, affecting movement or function.
• Persistent Instability: The injured area remains unstable after initial treatment.
• Previous Surgery Problems: Pain or limited movement persists after earlier fracture surgery.
• Worsening Symptoms: Pain, swelling, or difficulty using the injured area increases instead of improving.
• Second opinion for orthopedic surgery: You want another evaluation before proceeding with a major fracture procedure.

Even when a fracture does not seem severe, ongoing difficulty walking, using your arm, or returning to normal activities can be frustrating. You may start wondering if the pain will ever improve or whether you are missing something in your recovery. A detailed evaluation can help identify what is affecting your recovery and what treatment may improve it. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Murphy for a detailed evaluation of your injury.

How Does Dr. Dennis Murphy Evaluate Your Injury?

Dr. Dennis Murphy first reviews your symptoms, examines the affected area, and assesses your imaging to understand the injury. Then, he evaluates the fracture’s location, bone alignment, stability, and involvement of nearby joints. He also reviews how the injury may affect your movement and recovery when deciding between surgical and nonsurgical options.

Here are some common tests our surgeon may use to assess your injury, depending on its type and severity:

• X-Rays: Usually the first imaging test for suspected fractures. They show the bone’s position, alignment, and fracture pattern.
• CT Scan: Gives more detailed images of complex fractures, especially those involving the pelvis, hip, or joints.
• MRI: Can provide detailed images of soft tissues and may help identify injuries that are not clear on X-rays.
• Physical Examination: Checks swelling, deformity, movement, sensation, and blood flow around the injured area.
• Neurovascular Check: Assesses whether the injury has affected nearby nerves or blood vessels.
• CT Angiography: Used when an injury may have damaged nearby blood vessels.

Does Every Traumatic Fracture Need Surgery?

No, not every traumatic fracture needs surgery. Stable fractures with good alignment may heal with casting, bracing, or proper pain management. However, displaced, unstable, or open fractures, as well as joint-involving injuries, may require surgery. Your orthopedic trauma surgeon will recommend treatment based on the fracture and your overall condition.

Research also shows that selected fractures can have good outcomes with nonsurgical treatment. One long-term study found that 88% of patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures treated nonoperatively returned to their usual level of activity. Another study of 127 conservatively treated patients reported satisfactory pain outcomes in 87.4% of patients. Similarly, 86.6% of patients achieved favorable work outcomes.

When Does Dr. Dennis Murphy Recommend Surgery?

Dr. Dennis Murphy may recommend surgery when a fracture is displaced, unstable, open, or involves a joint and cannot heal properly with nonsurgical treatment. He reviews your imaging, injury pattern, and overall condition before making this decision. The goal is to restore alignment and stability and improve your quality of life as you return to daily activities.

We often see patients feel anxious when they hear that a fracture may require surgery. Many patients want to know whether they have another treatment option. For this reason, Dr. Dennis Murphy first evaluates whether the fracture can heal safely with immobilization, bracing, or protected weight-bearing. Orthopedic trauma surgery is considered only when these options cannot restore proper alignment or stability.

How Are Complex Fractures Surgically Repaired?

Surgeons repair complex fractures by restoring the broken bone to its proper position. Then, they secure it with plates, screws, rods, or other fixation devices. This helps the bone heal in the correct position while supporting strength, stability, and movement. However, the choice of fixation method depends on the fracture’s location, pattern, stability, and joint involvement.

Here are common surgical techniques Dr. Dennis Murphy may use to restore bone alignment, stability, and function:

1. Fracture Fixation

Fracture fixation brings the broken bone back into a stable position. A trauma surgeon for broken bones may use plates, screws, rods, or a combination of these devices to hold the repair. The fixation keeps the bone from shifting while new bone forms. Proper stabilization also helps protect the surrounding joint and soft tissues during healing.

2. Intramedullary Nailing

Intramedullary nailing places a metal rod inside the center of a long bone. Locking screws secure the rod above and below the fracture. This provides support along the length of the bone rather than placing the main fixation on its outer surface. Additionally, it is commonly used for selected femur and tibia fractures.

3. Ankle Fracture Repair

If an ankle fracture disrupts the joint’s alignment, the repair focuses on returning the bones to their proper position. Plates and screws can hold the fractured bones in their corrected position. This helps maintain ankle stability as healing progresses. Restoring the joint’s alignment can also support movement after recovery.

4. Hip Fracture Repair

Hip fracture repair varies according to the exact location of the break. Some fractures can be secured with screws, while others may require a plate or intramedullary device. The fixation needs to remain secure as weight is gradually placed through the hip. For this reason, the fracture pattern and weight-bearing needs help guide the treatment approach.

5. Proximal Humerus Fracture Repair

A proximal humerus fracture affects the upper part of the arm bone near the shoulder. When the bone fragments have shifted, surgical repair can bring them back into a more appropriate position. Plates and screws can then secure the repair. The goal is to restore the structure needed for shoulder movement while the fracture heals.

6. Tibial Fracture Fixation

Because the tibia supports body weight, a poorly positioned fracture can affect standing and walking. Fixation keeps the broken segments stable while healing takes place. For some shaft fractures, an intramedullary rod provides support through the center of the bone. Other fracture patterns may require a different fixation method.

7. Pelvic and Acetabular Reconstruction

Fractures around the hip socket can affect both pelvic stability and the articular surface of the hip joint. Reconstruction focuses on restoring these structures rather than simply closing the fracture. The surgeon may use carefully positioned screws or other fixation to secure the repaired bone. The goal of pelvic fracture surgery is to preserve hip stability and future function.

8. Hardware Removal

Some patients may experience discomfort from hardware even after the fracture has fully healed. In these cases, removing the plate, screws, or rod may help address the source of irritation. But removal is not necessary for everyone. The decision depends on your symptoms, healing, and the implant’s position.

What If a Fracture Heals in the Wrong Position?

If a fracture heals in the wrong position, the bone may not function normally even though it has healed. This is known as a malunion, and the change in alignment can affect movement, weight-bearing, or the nearby joint. In such cases, some patients develop ongoing pain, stiffness, or difficulty using the affected limb normally.

Here’s how an orthopedic trauma surgeon may treat a fracture that has healed out of position:

• Review Imaging: The surgeon examines X-rays or other imaging to assess the healed bone’s position and alignment.
• Assess Symptoms: Pain, stiffness, weakness, difficulty walking, or reduced joint movement can show whether the malalignment is causing a functional problem.
• Check Function: The surgeon evaluates how the affected limb moves and bears weight. This helps determine how much the altered alignment affects everyday activities.
• Compare Alignment: The healed bone may be compared with the normal side or expected anatomical position. This helps measure the extent and direction of the deformity.
• Discuss Treatment: Mild malalignment may only require monitoring or rehabilitation. More significant problems may require corrective surgery to improve alignment and function.

What Is the Difference Between Nonunion and Malunion?

Nonunion occurs when a fracture fails to heal, while malunion occurs when it heals in an incorrect position. Nonunion may cause persistent pain or instability because the bone has not fully joined. In contrast, malunion can affect movement, alignment, weight-bearing, or the function of nearby joints.

Here are some key differences between nonunion and malunion:

Nonunion	Malunion
Persistent fracture gap	Abnormal bone alignment
May cause ongoing pain	May cause stiffness or weakness
May cause instability	May alter joint mechanics
Treatment focuses on promoting bone healing	Treatment focuses on correcting alignment
May require bone grafting or fixation	May require corrective osteotomy

What Should You Expect During Recovery?

Recovery after treatment is usually gradual, with each stage focused on a different part of healing. Early recovery may involve protecting the injured area, managing pain and swelling, and following weight-bearing restrictions. As the bone and surrounding tissues heal, activity and movement can gradually increase with follow-up monitoring.

After surgery, our surgeon, Dr. Dennis Murphy, monitors how the repair is holding as the fracture heals. Follow-up imaging and examinations help him assess bone alignment, fixation stability, and healing progress. He also reviews your pain, movement, and weight-bearing ability before deciding when it is safe to increase activity.

Furthermore, here’s how our surgeon may guide your return to sports after surgery:

• Strength: He analyzes whether the injured limb has regained enough strength to handle the demands of your sport.
• Movement: Range of motion is assessed to make sure the injured area can move through the positions your sport requires.
• Sport-Specific Demands: He may assess how the repaired area responds to sprinting, jumping, landing, or quick changes in direction before allowing higher-level activity.
• Gradual Progression: Activity is increased in stages rather than moving directly from restricted activity to full competition.
• Confidence in Movement: Our surgeon also assesses whether you can perform sport-specific movements with good control and without pain or instability.

If you are unsure when it is safe to return to sports after a fracture, schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Murphy. He can assess your strength, movement, and healing to help determine when you can safely return to high-impact activity.

What Can Delay Recovery After a Serious Fracture?

Smoking, poor blood supply, infection, poor nutrition, and too much stress on the healing bone can delay optimal recovery after a serious fracture. Complex fractures may also take longer to heal because they often involve greater bone or soft-tissue damage. But following weight-bearing restrictions and treatment instructions can help support proper healing.

In fact, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 7,516 orthopedic procedures found that smokers had 2.2 times the risk of delayed or nonunion. Among healed fractures, smokers experienced an average delay of 27.7 days in bone healing. Another systematic review found that malnutrition is associated with impaired fracture healing and an increased risk of nonunion, although the evidence varies across studies.

Common Patient Scenarios

Not every fracture follows the same path after diagnosis. The treatment required, healing time, and long-term function can vary from one injury to another. Here are some common patient scenarios involving fracture treatment and recovery:

I Was Told I Have a Hairline Fracture, but I Wasn’t Given a Cast.

A hairline fracture does not always require a cast. Some stable fractures can heal with a brace, walking boot, or activity restrictions. The treatment depends on the bone involved, fracture stability, and whether normal activity could worsen the fracture.

I’m Still in the Hospital After Fracturing My Pelvis.

Hospital stay after a pelvic fracture can range from a few days to several weeks. The duration of stay often depends on fracture severity, associated injuries, mobility, and whether surgery is required. More complex injuries may require a longer hospital recovery before discharge.

My Collarbone Is Broken, and Recovery Feels Slower Than I Expected.

Most clavicle fractures take about 6–12 weeks to heal, but the timeline can vary. Pain often improves before the bone has regained enough strength for normal activity. Moreover, your return to work, exercise, or sports depends on healing progress, fracture stability, and the physical demands of the activity.

My Wrist Fracture Has Healed, but It Still Doesn’t Feel Normal.

Some people continue to have wrist stiffness, weakness, or reduced motion after a distal radius fracture has healed. These problems may improve gradually, but recovery differs between patients. The original fracture pattern, joint involvement, alignment, and soft-tissue injury can affect long-term wrist function.

Book an Appointment With Dr. Dennis Murphy for Fracture Evaluation in Long Island!

Being told that you may need surgery can be stressful after an unexpected injury. You may worry about the procedure, recovery time, or getting back to your normal routine. However, a proper fracture evaluation can help you determine whether your fracture requires surgical treatment or can heal with another approach.

At Total Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, Dr. Dennis Murphy reviews your medical history, examines the affected area, and studies your imaging. He also evaluates how the injury may affect your recovery. Then, he discusses the available options so you can understand why a particular treatment may be recommended. Call 855-321-6784 or visit us in East Meadow or Syosset to schedule an appointment with Dr. Dennis Murphy.

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