Diagnosis & Treatment of Orthopedic Conditions

If you’ve been living with ankle arthritis and chronic pain not alleviated by medication, total ankle replacement may be for you. During a total ankle replacement, the surgeon makes an incision in the front of the ankle and removes damaged bone and joint cartilage. The remaining bone is then reshaped for the attachment of the new metal joint and polyethylene spacer. Usually, a total ankle replacement is completed without the need for an overnight hospital stay. Most people return home the same day to begin recovery.

Not everyone who has knee pain will require a knee replacement. We work to control arthritis symptoms without surgery for as long as is reasonable. For people who need surgery, advances in design and materials over the last several decades allow for a comfortable, secure fit of these implants even in younger, active adults. Our orthopedic specialists use advanced methods for controlling pain. For knee replacement surgery, this includes a continuous nerve block technique called the "adductor canal catheter" that not only reduces pain, but also maintains muscle strength in the leg, which is critical to recovery.

Partial knee replacement
Candidates for partial knee replacements are adults 40 to 60 years old who are in good health and who have exhausted conservative measures for managing their knee pain. The surgery involves a shorter incision than total knee replacement, commonly on the inside half of the knee, which exposes the damaged bone surface and cartilage.

Total knee replacement 
Candidates for a total knee replacement are usually middle age or older and have exhausted all conservative methods for controlling their knee pain. The goal of a total knee replacement is to eliminate pain and restore the natural movement of the knee. A total knee replacement is a major surgical procedure performed in the operating room. A total knee replacement implant usually consists of two parts made of chrome cobalt, titanium alloy, and polyethylene plastic.

Candidates for hip replacement surgery are typically middle age or older and are experiencing limitations in their daily activities because of pain and loss of function. Our orthopedic surgeons perform more than 1,200 hip replacements annually. Many people return home the same they have their hip replacement surgery to begin recovery. 

Our surgeons specialize in:

• Partial hip replacement
• Bilateral hip replacement
• Anterior-approach hip replacement
• Resurfacing of the hip joint
• Revision or repair of previously implanted hip joint

A traditional hip replacement consists of four parts:

• A metal socket shell
• A socket liner
• A new "ball" to replace the head of the thigh bone (femur)
• A stem that secures the ball within the thigh bone

These components are made of durable titanium alloy, cobalt-chrome alloy, ceramic or polyethylene plastic. The ball is connected to the stem with a special taper junction, giving the surgeon more flexibility in determining the right fit for each person. Your surgeon will choose the device that best meets your needs based on your own unique anatomy and the degree of degeneration in your joint.

While total joint replacement has historically been a painful surgery, the anesthesia used is designed to provide better pain control and promote a faster recovery with fewer complications.

Our orthopedic surgeons routinely perform shoulder replacement surgery for people with joint degeneration or fracture caused by osteoarthritis, trauma, infection, sports-related injuries or the natural wear and tear of aging. They also specialize in partial shoulder replacement, reverse total shoulder replacement, and bilateral shoulder replacement surgery.

For people with pain, loss of strength and limited range of motion, shoulder replacement surgery can make a world of difference in their quality of life. A shoulder replacement restores strength and range of motion in the arm while reducing stiffness and pain. The anesthesia delivered to people undergoing shoulder replacement is designed to promote faster recovery with fewer complications than traditional methods of pain control.