Ortho
Medical abbreviation · Medical Specialty
| Stands for | Orthopedics (orthopedic surgery) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
Ortho stands for Orthopedics (orthopedic surgery), a medical specialty abbreviation.
Surgical specialty treating bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles, from fractures and sports injuries to joint replacement, spine surgery, hand surgery and pediatric deformities. US residency lasts five years and is often followed by a one-year fellowship.
Example: Ortho reduced and splinted the wrist fracture in the ED; ORIF planned Monday.
Usage notes
British spelling is orthopaedics, retained in names such as the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The word combines Greek roots meaning "straight child", from 18th-century efforts to correct childhood deformities. In dentistry "ortho" means orthodontics, a different field.
Related abbreviations
More medical specialty abbreviations
- NM – Nuclear medicine
- NSGY – Neurosurgery
- OB/GYN – Obstetrics and gynecology
- OMFS – Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Onc – Oncology
- Ophtho – Ophthalmology
- Path – Pathology
- PCCM – Pulmonary and critical care medicine
- Peds – Pediatrics
- PRS – Plastic and reconstructive surgery
- Psych – Psychiatry
- Pulm – Pulmonology
See all 47 medical specialty abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.