Back in the Fast Lane Following Orthopedic Surgery
Innovative physicians committed to extraordinary results
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Mary Beth Hammond’s life is on the fast track following surgery. With two replacement knees she has more energy at work, more fun at the mall, and she can’t wait to get back on the golf course.
A dedication to orthopedics at Good Samaritan Hospital is also on the fast track. The Eighth Floor of the hospital’s new patient care tower is devoted exclusively to the care and healing of orthopedic patients. Twenty-one new, private rooms have ample space where patients can practice ambulation. Extra-large bathrooms have double-door entry and showers that can accommodate wheeled chairs. Therapy staff and therapeutic equipment are on the same floor. During busy periods, rooms on other floors also accommodate orthopedic patients.
The increased focus indicates a steadfast commitment to orthopedic excellence not often seen in medical facilities.
Patients also have benefited from an increase in revolutionary treatment options. Many new options were presented at the first annual Good Samaritan Hospital Orthopedic Symposium last October. The free event “was a unique opportunity for the public to meet local experts, view actual and replacement bones and joints, and learn firsthand what procedures are available to treat orthopedic problems,” explained Bob Pritts, TriHealth’s director of Musculoskeletal and Rehabilitation Services.
In his presentation on spine surgeries, Jaideep Chunduri MD described kyphoplasty, a procedure which can reduce pain and improve quality of life for many patients. “The procedure uses balloons to lift the fractured bone and return it to an anatomic position,” he explained, adding that because the procedure is minimally invasive, recovery is quick and typically does not involve an overnight stay.
Kevin Reilly MD explained that newer innovations like minimal incision total hip replacements have improved results and significantly reduced complications such as prosthetic dislocation and leg length discrepancy. These techniques also have made a significant difference in patient recovery. “Shorter hospital stays, less pain and blood loss, fewer complications, and a faster return to independence have all resulted from new techniques now being performed at Good Samaritan,” he reports. His colleague, Mark Snyder MD added, “Thanks to new implant and surgical innovations, the risk of dislocation has been cut tenfold. It’s staggering, a wonderful quantum level improvement.” New techniques in other joint replacements also have resulted in faster recoveries.
From wish list to reality
When it comes to technology, what is on the wish list at many hospitals is already in use at Good Samaritan. John Schwegmann DO says both he and his patients benefit from state-of-the-art high definition cameras and monitoring equipment. The technology he used during a recent arthroscopic shoulder surgery provided a crystal clear picture on the operating room monitor. “The picture was brighter and my field of vision was larger. It was actually better than if I opened up the patient’s shoulder,” he explained.
Spine surgeon Jeffery Stambough MD agrees that technology helps set Good Samaritan Hospital apart. “The hospital’s image-guided spine equipment is unique and valuable.”
Pain free just hours after surgery
A year ago Hammond had so much knee pain she wondered if she could keep up with a job she loved. Her knees suffered from too much weight, sports and an auto accident. A 90-pound weight loss didn’t ease the pain. At times the pain was so great she could barely keep up. “I’d be on my feet all day coordinating seminars and various events as part of my job. It was a job I loved, but I was in an incredible amount of pain at the end of each event.” Hours after knee replacement surgery she was nearly pain free. It’s a phenomenon that is a daily occurrence at Good Samaritan.
Dr. Schwegmann credits multimodal pain management for such quick recoveries. “I performed knee replacement on two patients this morning, and this afternoon found them sitting up, talking, laughing and ready to get out of bed to begin therapy.” Multimodal pain management involves pre-empting pain with targeted nerve blocks prior to general anesthesia. “This breaks the cycle of pain before the surgery begins, and results in fewer narcotics being needed after surgery. No catheter is needed and recovery is quick,” he explains.
Mary Beth Hammond is a believer. “On a scale of one to 10, my pain was never higher than a three,” she remembers. Good Samaritan nurses also have noticed the difference. “They tell me they’ve seen a night-and-day difference in patients who receive this type of pain management,” says Dr. Snyder.
“It was incredible”
Hammond recalled her experience at Good Samaritan with a smile.” My room was fantastic; the attention given to me by the nursing staff was constant. It was just incredible,” said Hammond of her three-night stay following replacement of her right knee. “Everyone was so ‘up’ and very attentive. It really was lovely.”
She is typical of orthopedic patients who are thrilled with the positive changes that surgery has made in their life. “I’m so tickled when my husband and co-workers comment that I don’t limp anymore,” says Hammond. Although she’s 56 years old, “in my head I’m still 22. My new knees help me feel younger. It’s like I have a new lease on life!”
For more information about Orthopedics services at Good Samaritan Hospital, call 513-569-6728.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2008 issue of Compassion,
a quarterly publication of Good Samaritan Hospital and the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation. © 2008
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