New knee replacement technology is allowing surgeons to create a more natural-feeling joint, while getting you home sooner and started on your recovery. 

A total knee replacement, sometimes called total knee arthroplasty, may be necessary after arthritis has developed to the point that too much cartilage has worn away and you have bone-on-bone contact causing knee pain. A partial knee replacement describes having just one side of the knee joint replaced, often to treat an injury.

“While the aim of knee replacement surgery remains unchanged — relieving pain and helping patients return to an active life — today’s technology makes the procedure more precise and personalized,” Dr. Khalily said. “We still replace the worn joint surfaces, but now use advanced robotics, custom 3D-printed implants and smart sensors to optimize each patient’s results.”

Dr. Khalily was the first person in the world to perform a Food and Drug Administration-approved cementless total knee replacement with the CORI robotic-assisted system.

Today’s advances

Robotic-assisted surgery

Think of it like GPS for your surgeon. Using real-time imaging and computer guidance, surgeons now can plan and perform total knee replacement surgery with greater precision, tailored to your exact knee anatomy. This helps ensure better alignment and implant positioning, potentially improving longer-lasting results.

3D printed custom implants

Just like getting a custom-fitted suit, your knee replacement now can be made specifically for you. Using 3D printing, surgeons can create implants that match your knee’s unique shape and size. This is especially helpful for complex cases or revision surgery.

Smart knee implants

These high-tech implants contain tiny sensors that track how your new knee is working. Your doctor can monitor your recovery remotely, adjust your rehabilitation plan as needed and spot potential issues early. This means fewer in-person follow-up visits and more personalized recovery care.

On the horizon

Augmented reality

Surgeons are beginning to use augmented reality technology — similar to what’s used in some video games — to see detailed 3D images of your knee during surgery. This technology helps them place implants with even greater accuracy.

More outpatient surgeries

Thanks to these advances and better pain management, many knee replacements are now done as outpatient procedures. This means you may go home the same day as your surgery. By 2026, more than half of all shoulder, knee and hip replacement are expected to be outpatient procedures.

The post The latest knee replacement technology in 2025 appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Kevin J. Himschoot, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute, suggests thinking about the following:

Pain

Does your pain come and go? Does it occur only during strenuous activity? Or is it persistent knee pain that interferes with daily life?

If your pain comes and goes, you’re likely not ready for surgery. The good news: There are some nonsurgical ways to get pain relief. These may include taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroid injections for pain relief. Physical therapy exercises and stretches can improve strength and mobility by loosening muscles, ligaments or the knee joint capsule — ligaments and fibers that surround the joint.

Read more: Don’t ignore these 5 symptoms of joint pain

Age and activity

Next, think about your age and activity level. If you are active and would like to stay active for many years to come, a knee replacement may make that possible. Surgeons are performing joint replacement surgery on younger patients than they have in the past. However, surgery typically will not be considered until you are in your 50s. Also, unless X-rays show moderate to advanced knee arthritis, nonsurgical treatment will be recommended.

Weight and overall health

Finally, how is the rest of your health, including your weight? Carrying extra weight is a big factor in knee pain, as the knee has significant weight-bearing responsibilities. Surgeons typically will not perform knee replacement surgery on patients with a body mass index over 40, as it increases complications during and after surgery.

There are, however, physical therapy programs tailored to help with weight loss while supporting and aiming to improve chronic knee pain. Your health care provider can help you find a physical therapy or weight loss program to suit your needs.

Do you have heart disease or diabetes? Is your diabetes under control with an appropriate hemoglobin A1C level? Optimizing chronic medical conditions will be necessary prior to surgery.

You’ll also want to make sure you’re mentally prepared for a tough couple of weeks after surgery.

Can you push through pain during physical therapy as you work on strengthening and moving your new joint?

Additional signs you might be ready to consider knee surgery

• Persistent knee stiffness or swelling that doesn’t improve with rest or medication
• Visible bowing of the leg due to knee osteoarthritis progression
• Knee instability or “giving way” that affects your ability to walk safely
• Grinding, clicking or catching sensations that limit movement
• Limited range of motion, such as difficulty straightening or bending the knee

Total knee replacement surgery versus partial knee replacement

If you have extensive knee joint damage due to conditions such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you may be a candidate for a total knee replacement. In this procedure, known formally as total knee arthroplasty, all three compartments of the knee joint are replaced with artificial components.

A partial knee replacement replaces only the damaged compartment of the knee (either the medial, lateral or patellofemoral compartment). This is considered in cases where the arthritis is confined to just one area of the knee and the ligaments are intact. This less-invasive option often results in quicker recovery times and more natural knee movement for suitable candidates.

Whether you’re having total knee replacement surgery or having just one side of the knee replaced, the ends of the thigh bone and shin bone are replaced with artificial components. Sometimes, the kneecap or patella is replaced as well.

Advancements in robotics help your surgeon improve precision, which can reduce recovery time and give you a more natural-feeling knee.

The post How can you tell if you need a knee replacement? appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

He’s the director of Heaven’s Door Chapel in Burnside, Kentucky, and spends his days serving his community. That can mean he’s out on his farm and garden, tilling the earth, gathering fresh produce.

Ministry, for David, also can mean he’s communicating with local officials and other pastors, organizing school supply and food drives for the upcoming year. Many of the students in that district — more than 90% — are on free lunch.

Or, it can mean he’s leading a Thursday night prayer session, “drive-up prayer” as he calls it, sharing the word of God with his Pulaski County community.

“Ninety-five percent of our work is outside the chapel walls,” David said. “What that means is that we are out in the community. It’s kind of a process. You feel God lead you in a direction, and then you put a foot out in that direction.”

Read more: How can you tell if you need a knee replacement?

Despite his success, David’s ministry was slowed down by chronic pain in his left knee. It hurt every day and forced him to take action.

‘We started from nothing’

In 2000, David was living in Florida and working as head of maintenance at a local Christian school.

He also maintained his Florida teaching certificate, while working through the process to become an ordained minister. As fate would have it, his teaching certificate expired as the ordination paperwork came through.

He had a decision to make — the classroom or the pulpit.

“I had my ordination paper here and my teaching certificate here,” David said. “And God said to me, ‘Teaching was your choice, and this was mine.”

David set his teaching certificate aside for good and set out on his mission. He became a successful children’s pastor in Florida, blending his passion and God’s purpose into one. After 19 years, he was released from his church and started work in home repair while he waited for his next calling.

In 2019, it came.

Through family, he discovered Meridzo Center Inc., a ministry group based in Lynch, Kentucky. David and his wife attended a conference to learn more about the Eastern Kentucky ministry and its subsidiaries. He instantly felt something.

“We go to a conference about living by faith right as the time of severance pay ran out,” David said. “It was all God’s timing. So after the conference, I felt that I was called to be there. So we just said yes.”

David sold his home in Florida and moved to Kentucky to work for Meridzo Ministries. They stationed him in Burnside at Heaven’s Door Chapel and he’s worked there ever since, reviving a mission that was near dormant in the years before his arrival.

“We started from nothing and built this through God’s calling,” David said. “We live by faith without a salary and pray for what God wants. That’s our salary — when we need something, we pray and God supplies. That’s how it works.”

‘You don’t have any cartilage left’

David’s left knee pain began in 2010.

He noticed the pain lasted longer and set in more frequently than in years past. It swelled constantly. He wore a knee brace for support.

David talked to his father — a retired doctor who had practiced at Red Bird Mission — to learn more about hyaluronic acid and how it can be used to lubricate and cushion the cartilage in his knee. He also saw an orthopedic specialist in Florida, who drained the fluid from his knee and gave him a cortisone injection, while providing him with a long-term diagnosis.

“He told me, ‘I can see it; you don’t have any cartilage left,’” David said. “The only way to fix it was to replace it. And I knew I had to do something, but I wasn’t ready. I had had friends who had replacements, so I had seen some go poorly. So I was hesitant.”

David opted for the oral hyaluronic acid supplements for nearly a decade, and successfully kept the pain at bay for a while. But eventually, he knew he needed a long-term answer. In 2021, after his wife passed away, David began spending more time with his extended family in Louisville. His nieces could tell he was noticeably slower, avoiding activities if they required too much time on his feet.

“I started quantifying whether I wanted to go places based on how much walking I had to do,” David said. “It hurt every time you put pressure on it, and it was starting to get in the way of everyday life.”

His family recommended he see a doctor in Louisville, and he made and appointment with Ryan E. Modlinski, M.D., nonsurgical orthopedic sports medicine physician with Norton Orthopedic Institute.

“Of all the Norton doctors I’ve ever been to, he had the best bedside manner,” David said. “He really made me feel at ease and took an interest in my life activities.”

“Every patient needs to determine, on a unique set of circumstances, their needs and functions,” Dr. Modlinski said. “So we try to really narrow it down and then we try to tailor and provide them a thorough explanation of the options that can help them. “We really try to focus in on what they’re struggling with and then target and tailor our treatments to meet those needs.”

The two created a treatment plan — try a round of hyaluronic acid injections, to see how long they lasted and use that period to find a date for surgery. In the meantime, Dr. Modlinski would confer with his colleagues and find David the right surgeon.

David agreed. While the injection provided some short term relief, after just one injection, he needed surgery. He was diagnosed with extreme osteoarthritis, and bone spurs were beginning to form along the inside of his left knee.

Dr. Modlinski introduced him to Samuel D. Carter, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute. Dr. Carter and David discussed the options and agreed on a partial medial knee replacement.

Dr. Carter performed the procedure successfully in November 2022.

Compared with a full knee replacement, a partial replacement provides patients with a faster procedure and recovery time, while reducing the risk for postoperative complications. Patients also maintain their own knee ligaments, providing a more natural feeling than a full knee replacement.

“In an ideal scenario, the patients almost forget they’ve had it, and they go back to their everyday lives,” Dr. Carter said. “But the No. 1 priority is to relieve the pain. It can be hard to know when the best time is for a knee replacement. It’s really patient-dependent. But being here with Dr. Modlinski, being in the same office, allows us to talk to each other frequently, be it a text message or a message on our electronic system. We’re able to keep each other up to date on how patients are doing and when to cross that threshold into surgery.”

“Dr. Carter was great,” David said. “They made the process extremely easy for me. I had confidence in this team. Watching them collaborate and weigh what my outcome needed to be, and then tell me they were going to give me the tools to succeed, meant the world to me. The approach truly felt custom to me.”

‘That’s the ideal outcome’

Nearly two years post-surgery, David’s ministry continues uninterrupted and pain-free. Now age 67, he’s still out in his community daily, working to make it a better place.

His knee no longer gives him issues, no matter what physical activity he takes on.

He attributes his success to his faith, both in the men who repaired his knee, and in the man who pointed him in their direction.

“I live by the quote from Philippians 4:6-7, which is, ‘Don’t worry about anything, pray about everything and thank God for what he’s done,’” David said. “If you really take that to heart, you’re not going to worry about anything.”

“That’s the ideal outcome,” Dr. Carter said. “Seeing happy postoperative patients is the best part of my job, and seeing them get back to get back to their normal lives and the things they’re used to doing is a huge payoff.”

The post Knee replacement surgery helps remobilize pastor’s life of ministry appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

“It didn’t hurt at all, but it made it difficult to walk,” said Sheila, 71.

There was no pain, so she lived with the inconvenience for a while.

After an incident on the way to church had her hobbling and barely able to walk by herself, she decided to make an appointment with Cyna Khalily, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute.

A total knee replacement performed by Dr. Khalily eventually would have Sheila earning an ovation for her line dancing. But first, she would have to overcome a major obstacle: her reluctance to have surgery.

“Ms. King asked about a gel injection, which wasn’t an option for her particular situation,” he said, describing Sheila’s first visit.

Dr. Khalily’s response was to suggest surgery.

“I didn’t want surgery, so I said, ‘No, thank you,’” Sheila said.

Her reluctance was based on a family member’s experience. Her niece had knee surgery, with many issues afterward, so Sheila didn’t think surgery was the way to go. A woman of faith, Sheila prayed about it, asking for guidance. She also spoke to other people about it.

“They said, ‘Your knee is not like everybody else’s. Everybody is different,’” Sheila said.

So, Sheila reconsidered. She went back to see Dr. Khalily.

“I had a total knee replacement in May of 2023, and I thank God I did,” Sheila said.

Her surgery went well, and after a night in the hospital she was discharged.

“I used the walker just to get to my car, but after that I never used a walker or a cane or anything like that,” she said. “I just didn’t need it.”

Physical therapy followed, some at the little gym near her apartment.

“I did the treadmill and things like that,” Sheila said.

She was able to get back to activities at her local community center, including line dancing.

“After my surgery, I was line dancing, and they all got up to clap for me,” Sheila said.

A recent follow-up appointment showed the surgery has done its job, and everything looks great.

“Dr. Khalily told me I don’t have to come back for four years,” Sheila said.

She has told everyone about how good her experience was with Norton Orthopedic Institute, but she has a special place in her heart for her surgeon.

“I tell everybody if they need a new knee, new hip, go see Dr. Khalily,” Sheila said. “I just love him.”

The post How a total knee replacement got her back in the dance line appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

“I would love to run in that event,” David said following his surgery and physical therapy in 2023. “My last race was the Kentucky Derby Festival miniMarathon in 2021. I’ve always enjoyed running. It’s been a part of my life for a long time.”

Although he does not recall a specific moment or a reason why, David began experiencing left knee pain in the months following his Derby Festival race in Louisville, Kentucky. Initially, he chose to rest the knee, taking breaks from his regular routine. While this approach eased his discomfort during normal day-to-day activities, pain would return whenever he would run more than a short distance.

“I continued to go downhill,” said David, of Madison, Indiana. “I would get frustrated and have to stop.”

After two years of an on-again, off-again approach, his wife, Kate, an avid runner herself, suggested that he make an appointment to find out what was wrong.

“Basically, she told me to either stop complaining or get it checked out,” David said. Enter Nathan Polley, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton King’s Daughters’ Health.

Following an X-ray and examination, Dr. Polley scheduled an MRI of David’s left knee to confirm what he suspected: a loose bony ossicle that was rubbing against adjacent bone surfaces, causing discomfort and inflammation. According to Dr. Polley, an ossicle is bone tissue that should not be there, generally caused when bones do not completely fuse together.

Ossicles don’t always cause symptoms. Dr. Polley compared them to having a small pebble in your shoe: It may not bother you until it does, and then it can be quite painful.

For David, Dr. Polley’s recommended course of treatment involved surgical intervention followed by physical therapy.

“Dr. Polley was spot on from the moment we began talking,” David said. “The MRI confirmed what he suspected. I was scheduled for surgery just over a week later and began therapy the week after that. The entire team was very flexible with my schedule.”

Flexibility was critical for his success, given David’s role as Jefferson County, Indiana, prosecuting attorney. He had to fit therapy sessions between court appearances and a variety of other duties.

Jonathon Schroeder, P.T., DPT, served as David’s primary physical therapist at Norton King’s Daughters’ Health Rehabilitation Center, helping him regain strength, balance and agility.

“Within a month, he was able to walk normally and use the stairs,” Jonathon said. “We added plyometric and agility exercises in late March 2023 that he needed to eventually return to running.”

By the end of April, David had returned to playing with his children and had begun jogging and running. At that point, he felt he had progressed enough to discontinue therapy sessions. Jonathon provided some additional home exercises to complete David’s plan of care.

Today, David is pain-free and focused on regaining a more regular running routine that will lead toward his goal of completing another race.

“I like to run downtown by the river,” he said. “It’s a beautiful location with a lot of options. Downtown Madison is a wonderful place to exercise. I also enjoy running at the state hospital. You can overlook the river.”

While running together can prove challenging with three young children, David hopes Kate can join him this November for the Monumental. Family time and shared activities are important to him. He loves to play baseball and basketball with his kids. He even helps coach his son’s teams whenever he can.

“We like to run together,” he said of the couple’s shared passion. “I would love for us to run that event together.”

The post Rediscovering the joy of running after knee surgery appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Also known to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) fans as Al Snow, he has been a professional wrestler for 41 years. His career has taken him across states and continents, entertaining millions and winning championship titles, all the while taking an extreme toll on his body.

“I’ve fractured my neck twice; broken ribs and fingers; dislocated my right shoulder, separated my left; broke my elbow; broke my ankle; cracked my tailbone; dislocated my hip; tore my groin,” Al said. “I think I’m up to 14 times I’ve broken my nose. And I could go on.”

He began noticing his body was worn out and exhausted from compensating for the pain he was having in his knees in particular.

“I remember getting home from a simple 15-minute walk through the grocery store, putting the bags on the counter and going to sit on the couch because I was exhausted,” Al said.

His knees were, in his own words, completely destroyed. They were bone on bone, no cartilage left, and he could feel bone spurs that he describes as “gravel” under the skin.

“For most people, the need for knee replacement is due to osteoarthritis, which is more of a wear-and tear arthritis,” said Jeffrey D. Stimac, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, Norton Orthopedic Institute. “Some people can have more inflammatory arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus arthritis, where it’s actually their immune system causing part of the problem. And then, in other situations, it’s injuries. In Al’s case, it was probably years and years of knee injuries during his wrestling career.”

By 2020, knee replacement surgery was in Al’s near future — and he had an unusual request. He wanted both knees replaced at the same time.

“This isn’t routine or normal,” Dr. Stimac said. “However, Al is not a normal patient.”

Dr. Stimac explained there are a few potential complications from having both knees replaced at the same time.

Al was well aware of these concerns, but he knew if he got one knee replaced and then was expected to take time to recover from a second surgery, he would struggle to find the time. Plus, with his self-discipline as an athlete and the encouragement of his wife, family and colleagues, he knew he could work through the rehabilitation process successfully.

In October 2020, Al had his surgery at Norton Brownsboro Hospital. Dr. Stimac and his colleague, Kevin J. Himschoot, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, Norton Orthopedic Institute, scrubbed in for the two-hour surgery. Later that day, Al, with his wife by his side, started his first of several physical therapy sessions.

Al went home the following day, common for knee replacement surgeries, and got into the routine of going to physical therapy a few times a week for two weeks. He quickly realized most of the therapy exercises he could manage on his own, so he continued to push himself at home.

Al’s recovery wasn’t the norm, but then again this WWE superstar is an exception to most rules. According to Dr. Stimac, most people recovering from knee replacement surgery go through three months of physical therapy to be doing well, and full recovery can take up to a year.

“Al was such an active guy who still wrestled and still lifted weights daily — he was very fit coming into the surgery,” Dr. Stimac said. “I think that helped make his recovery much easier.”

And how is he now, three years after his double knee replacement?

“Knees are fantastic. Quite honestly, getting my knees replaced is probably the best thing I’ve ever done,” Al said. “The only regret I have is that I waited so long to finally make the decision to just go do it.”

While he isn’t doing suplexes or jumping from the top rope as much anymore, the former Hardcore Champion still finds himself in the wrestling ring as the co-owner and CEO of Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, Kentucky.

Al reminisced about the first time he entered the ring during a show after his knee replacements.

“As part of the show I ran into the ring and I amazed myself as I took off. I was like, ‘Holy cow. I was able to actually run into the ring!’ In the not-so-distant past, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to get up off the mat. But I did it without missing a beat. It was a showstopping moment for me.”

Al is thankful for his surgeons, Dr. Stimac and Dr. Himschoot.

“I cannot express my gratitude and my appreciation for basically giving me a whole new lease on life by replacing my knees,” Al said.

And to anyone considering knee replacement, or any big health decision for that matter, Al has some professional advice:

“If there’s anybody who is facing the replacement of their knees or hips, or facing any kind of choice where they need to make a decision, where they’ve been living a very challenging life because of whatever health issue is restricting them, go do it. Don’t hesitate. Without a question or a doubt, it is worth every bit of what you will go through to get to the other side. I tell people all the time, honestly, that this is probably one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.”

The post WWE superstar Al Snow chooses rare double knee replacement to relieve pain appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Computer-guided knee replacement

“The CORI Surgical System uses computer-assisted technology to help precisely tailor knee replacement procedures to the unique shape and motion of each patient’s knee anatomy,” said Cyna Khalily, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute.

Dr. Khalily is experienced in robotic- and computer-assisted surgery. He was the first in the world to perform a Food and Drug Administration-approved cementless total knee replacement with the CORI system.

Leading-edge joint replacement tool

In traditional joint replacements, tools that guide surgeons in the placement of the implant are designed with typical anatomy in mind. Sensors attached to the CORI system allow surgeons to detect the exact, unique anatomy of the patient.

Other benefits of the CORI system include:

• 3D digital modeling for a surgical plan customized to the patient’s unique anatomy
• Increased efficiency and accuracy versus traditional knee replacement surgery

Precision allows for a smoother knee replacement procedure

“We want precision, but in the case of orthopedic implants, proper alignment of the new joint is crucial to the success and longevity of the implant,” Dr. Khalily said. “The implant needs to line up perfectly with the patient’s body alignment and move fluidly. A properly aligned joint fits within the patient’s anatomy and makes the implant feel like a more natural joint.”

The post Computer-guided knee replacement surgery isn’t science fiction, it’s fact appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Overview of knee replacement surgery

The knee is the largest joint in your body, made up of bones, cartilage and ligaments. When the cartilage starts wearing away, the knee becomes stiff and painful. This is called arthritis. Eventually, bone starts rubbing against bone, causing even more pain and loss of movement.

Knee replacement surgery replaces the painful joint with a mechanical one. During knee replacement surgery, the surgeon will make an incision on the top of your knee. The ends of the bones are shaped and trimmed, then replaced with metal and plastic pieces. A plastic button may be placed on the back of the kneecap if the cartilage is worn out there. The new knee comes in different sizes. Your surgeon will decide which size is the best fit for you.

The incision will be closed with staples, stitches and/or glue. During your recovery process, your pain should be decreased and your knee function should improve. Your surgeon will do the easy part; it’s up to you to do the rest — physical therapy and following your surgeon’s instructions.

Before surgery

Choose a coach

This could be a spouse, family member, friend or neighbor. The coach is someone who can help you. Your coach will:

• Help you prepare for surgery.
• Go with you to some or all of your visits to the doctor.
• Help you get your home ready so you will be comfortable after surgery.
• Remind you to do your exercises before and after surgery.
• Help you at home with exercise, household chores and other tasks.

Check your home

• Move furniture, rugs, extension cords and clothing to make it easy for you to get around. Consider setting up a temporary bedroom on the first floor or installing safety railings in the bathroom.
• Make sure everything you need is within easy reach.
• Stock the pantry and freezer.
• Clean your home, put clean sheets on the bed and do the laundry.

The days before and day of surgery

• Follow your diet instructions the day before and morning of surgery. Drink plenty of fluids the day before surgery.
• See your primary care provider and any other doctors you see regularly to make sure they clear you for surgery. This is an elective surgery, and we want you to be in the best shape possible before surgery.
• Pack a bag if you are staying at the hospital.
• Bathe with soap given to you during your preadmission testing and follow the instructions.

What to take to the hospital with you

• A walker if you have one (this can stay in the car until you are assigned a room after surgery)
• Clothes to wear after surgery: Choose loose shorts, T-shirts, baggy sweatpants. You are going to be doing lots of therapy and movement, so we want you to be in comfortable clothes.
• Supportive shoes (not slip-ons)
• Personal care and hygiene items including medications and eye glasses
• Living will or power of attorney papers, insurance cards and identification; method of payment if you have a co-pay (check, cash, credit or debit card)

Upon your arrival at the hospital

• Visit registration where your paperwork will be completed and your information confirmed.
• From there, you will go to the preoperative area to prepare for surgery.
• You will talk with the surgeon and anesthesiologist.
• When it is time, you will go to sleep and the surgery will be performed.
• Your family will be kept informed as the surgery progresses and is finished.

 After surgery

• You may wake up with an IV, oxygen and pulse oximeters to check your oxygen level, a foot/leg pump and compression hose (these help with circulation).
• It is important to use your spirometer (deep-breathing tool) every hour to help your lungs recover — the staff will show you how to use it.
• You may start out on a liquid diet, then slowly start eating regular foods as you can tolerate them. It’s important to drink lots of liquids!

When you begin to have pain, be sure to tell your nurse. Don’t wait until the pain worsens, because it will take a little time for the medication to begin to work. Do not attempt to walk without assistance. Call a nurse if you need to get up. A therapist or nurse may visit you and get you up and moving. The sooner you start moving, the better off you will be!

Day of surgery and until you leave the hospital

• You may have blood drawn once a day (usually at night or early in the morning) so that your doctor can see the lab results.
• A physical therapist should see you twice a day until you have reached your goals.
• Your nurse may remove any tubes and drains that remain and change your dressing.
• Your care team would like to help you get dressed and sit in a chair for meals.
• A care manager or social worker will visit you and discuss your plans for going home and what medical equipment you might need.
• Your nurse will help you understand your home care instructions and answer any questions you have.

Preventing complications

• Hygiene: Keep your incision site and your hands clean.
• Do your prescribed exercises.
• Elevate your legs as much as possible.
• Take pain medication if you need it.
• Use your spirometer.
• Drink plenty of water.
• Get up and move as often as you can.
• Take your stool softener.

Sign up for Norton MyChart

We also offer online seminars to help you understand what will happen before, during and after surgery. Sign up here.

You can find more information and resources here.

The post What to know and do before knee surgery appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Your partner likely has taken on many of the duties of caregiver as your arthritic knee or hip became gradually more debilitating. The study, presented as part of an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons seminar, found that a spouse’s quality of life improves after hip or knee replacement surgery.

“It’s not uncommon to see two or more people benefit from one person’s hip or knee replacement surgery,” said Jeffrey Stimac, M.D., Norton Orthopedic Institute orthopedic surgeon specially trained in reconstructive surgery. “As the patient’s osteoarthritis gradually worsens over the years, their spouse’s life is affected as their lives become consumed with the patient’s pain and limitations.”

The study interviewed 33 couples with an average age in their late 60s who had been married on average about 36 years. They had been living with an osteoarthritis diagnosis for about seven years. Each partner was interviewed separately, and the patients had recovered completely at the time of the interview.

Spouses reported that their lives had improved as they had become able to participate in more activities with their partner.

Specifically, the benefits spouses cited after hip or knee replacement surgery most often were:

• Ability to carry on with social and leisure activities with their partner
• No longer witnessed the patient experiencing pain
• Diminished caregiver burden
• A sense of independence to resume their normal life
• Improved marital relationship
• Improved social and family life
• Freedom to travel

Patients most often reported getting around easier, resuming leisure and sporting activities, less pain and improved social and family lives after hip or knee replacement surgery.

The post Spouses and partners are beneficiaries of knee and hip replacements too, study finds appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

A knee replacement used to require several nights in the hospital while a patient was recovering. Minimally invasive procedures have advanced so much that patients usually are up and around two hours after surgery and home by the end of the day, according to Jeffrey Stimac, M.D., a knee replacement surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute.

Shorter hospital stays, including less time in the operating room thanks to minimally invasive techniques, means the cost of replacing your knee can be significantly lower than what you may have heard in recent years.

Medicare and most private insurers cover much of the knee replacement cost, leaving the patient responsible for a fraction of the overall bill.

Navigating the insurance process can be a challenge, but Norton Orthopedic Institute has staff who coordinate with insurance companies regularly and can walk you through the process. Be sure to ask your insurer about average charges and any discounts for which you may be eligible.

Keep in mind that a total knee replacement is one of the highest-rated procedures by patients. Studies have found patients’ total knee replacement satisfaction to be between 80% and 100%. For many, the satisfaction is a result of restored function and pain relief.

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