Stoneback said an orthopedic surgeon would have opened Moore's lower leg and used a scalpel to open the lateral compartment—a collection of muscles, nerves and blood vesicles—to release the swelling. If doctors caught Moore's issue early enough, Moore could escape long-term muscle damage.
Being a tertiary-care institution means University of Colorado Hospital often takes the toughest cases. Yet for years, UCH was referring some of its most challenging orthopedic trauma cases to other hospitals. Not only has Dr. Stoneback's presence stopped the outflow of patients, it's brought them in.
What non-invasive methods can surgeons use to reliably differentiate between cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis? What is the role of diagnostic imaging?: Advanced imaging has high sensitivity, specificity. Editorial. Orthopaedics Today