Trauma and orthopaedic surgery

MRCS candidates should:

• Have a knowledge of the surgical conditions listed below
• Know the principles of investigations used by the speciality
• Know the principles of the main surgical procedures used

Skeletal fractures

• Pathophysiology of fracture healing
• Classification of fractures
• Principles of fracture management
• Complications of fractures
  • Delayed and Non-union
  • Bone grafts
• Management of joint injuries
• Common fractures and joint injuries
  • Common fractures
  • Hip fractures
  • Paediatric fractures

Soft tissue injuries and disorders

• Nature and mechanism of soft tissue injury
  • The knee
  • The shoulder
• Management of soft tissue injuries
• Nerve injuries

Common disorders of the extremities

• Disorders of the upper limb
• Disorders of the hand
• Disorders of the lower limb
• Disorders of the foot

Degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis

• Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Metabolic bone disease
• Paget's disease
• Surgical treatment of joint diseases
• Complications of joint replacement surgery

Infections of bones and joints

• Osteomyelitis
• Septic arthritis
• Other bone infections

Locomotor pain

• Low back pain and sciatica
• Spinal cord compression
• Scoliosis
• Pain in the neck and upper limb
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

Bone tumours and amputations

• Primary bone tumours
• Metastatic bone tumours
• Myeloma
• Amputations

General

• Imaging techniques
• Neurophysiological investigations