The Benefits of Total Joint Replacement
For years, you’ve suffered from arthritis, a condition that’s made your joints painful and stiff. To relieve the pain, you’ve probably tried every ointment and medication on the market, all without any real effect. Total joint replacement surgery might be your next option.
Options and Answers for Chronic Shoulder and Knee Pain
Falmouth Hospital board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician Donald O’Malley, MD, is offering new hope for patients with chronic shoulder joint pain. With the reverse total joint replacement surgery, Dr. O’Malley reverses the anatomy of the shoulder, placing a synthetic socket where the ball was located and a synthetic ball in the position formerly occupied by the socket.
“The procedure allows patients to raise their arms up much higher after surgery than with traditional techniques and totally eliminates the pain,” says Dr. O’Malley. Cape Cod Hospital board-certified orthopedic surgeon Michael J. Murphy, MD, PC, is trained in the innovative technique of minimally invasive joint surgery.
Minimally invasive knee surgery allows the orthopedic surgeon to perform knee replacements through incisions as small as 3 1/2 to 4 inches, about 1/3 the length of standard incisions. More importantly, there is less disruption to the underlying muscles and tendons, says Dr. Murphy. These benefits help reduce post-operative pain and speed rehabilitation. Hospital stays are also significantly shortened.
Specially designed instruments and techniques, all available at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital, make the knee surgery possible. Many patients go directly home after their operations, and rehabilitation occurs on an outpatient basis. The speed of recovery and return to normal activities are benefits patients most often mention and appreciate.
Orthopedic surgeons at Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Hospital are able to offer a vast array of total joint replacement surgeries, including those on the hips, shoulders, and knees. By using minimally invasive techniques and newer versions of the prosthetic implants, doctors are able to reduce recovery times and get better, longer lasting results that make movement pain-free for patients.
“Total joint replacement surgery often becomes necessary when a patient’s pain is too severe to allow participation in activities that add pleasure to his or her life,” says Paul Dimond, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Falmouth Hospital who is fellowship-trained in orthopedic trauma and hip and knee replacement. “After we’ve tried all the conservative methods and examined the extent of the damage, we often find that joint replacement is the only way to effectively relieve pain.”
The Surgery
During orthopedic surgery, doctors will replace the damaged areas of the joint with specially shaped metal or plastic surfaces that help restore normal, pain-free movement to the area. Newer bearing surfaces such as ceramic or metal on metal are also used.
“This may translate into increased longevity for younger patients,” says Timothy Kinkead, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. For hinge joints like the knee, the new surfaces replace the damaged bones and cartilage. For ball-and-socket joints (like the hip or shoulder), the damaged bones are replaced with a plastic socket and a new ball that is usually made of metal.
The plastic and metal prostheses are durable, and will allow the joints to move and slide smoothly, like a healthy joint.
“For those who require both knees to be replaced, a bilateral total knee replacement can be an option,” says William J. Manning, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. “The procedure prevents coming back for a second operation and decreases rehabilitation time and lifestyle disruption.”
You’re Not Alone
Patients who have joint replacement surgery at Cape Cod Hospital or Falmouth Hospital have an advantage over patients at many other hospitals around the country. Here, potential patients are placed in a Total Joint Replacement Teaching Program, where they can become familiar with the hospital and the people who will be caring for them.
“The group approach for this program has evolved over the years and is now a formal part of the patient’s education about his or her surgery,” says Richard K. Mannal, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. “It’s a good thing, because while they tour the floor, recovery room, operating rooms, and physical therapy department, the patients’ anxieties are relieved as much as possible before their operations.”
Mapping Out Your Care
Before, during, and after surgery, Cape Cod Healthcare wants to ensure all patients are given the best care possible. With Care Maps for total joint replacement and hip fractures, patients can be assured that all systems are in place for top-notch surgical care.
“Everything is covered in the Care Map, from pre-op education programs to rehabilitation care after the procedure,” says Claire Glatki, RN, nursing director at Falmouth Hospital.
“With a standardized approach, we’re able to reduce variation and make it easier for staff members to reference the steps they need to take in order to care for patients,” Dr. Mannal says. “Care Maps help the entire team work together in a seamless fashion and help the patients get the care they need at the time they need it.”
Continuum of Care
When you leave the hospital after an orthopedic procedure, your care isn’t over. At Cape Cod Healthcare, a variety of services are available to help you fully recuperate, including:
• a skilled nursing facility
• home health through the VNA of Cape Cod
• outpatient rehabilitation services
• on-call orthopedic surgeons