Orthopedic Health Tip
Joint Replacement Surgery
Many people suffer from debilitating pain of their hips and knees. Often times the pain is related to arthritis, which a general term for the deterioration of the smooth lining of the joint called cartilage. When the cartilage surface becomes worn the joint may become stiff and painful.
The initial treatment for arthritis is often a combination of over the counter pain medications and exercise to improve the strength of the muscle supporting the joint. When this fails to relieve the pain your doctor may recommend prescription medications or a joint injection of cortisone. Recent treatments have also included the injection of lubricants in the knee that may help to relieve pain and improve function.
When all these measures fail patients are often treated with joint replacement surgery. This involves removing the diseased cartilage endings of the bones and replacing them with a smooth metallic covering. The metallic surfaces then rotate over a special plastic insert, which reforms the joint. Newer technologies have utilized special types of metals and even ceramics to improve the long-term performance of the new joint.
The surgery requires a hospital stay of three to five days but patients are up and moving right away. Over the next few weeks’ patients regain their mobility and strength with physical therapy. Most patients are extremely satisfied following surgery and enjoy pain free mobility and freedom again.
If you or someone you know suffers from arthritis please feel free to call for an evaluation.
E. Scott Middlebrooks, MD
Premier Orthopaedic, Surgery, Suwanee, GA, 678-513-8111
Health Tip
Kyphoplasty
Kyphoplasty is a fairly new surgical procedure to treat vertebral
compression fractures secondary to osteoporosis or tumors.
When a vertebra breaks, in the face of osteoporosis or tumors it may
not heal. This causes severe disabling pain and is not well controlled
with pain medication. The patient may not be able to stand or walk
well because of the severe pain.
Through two small incisions a balloon can be inserted into the broken
vertebra and inflated, restoring the vertebra back to near its original
height. The balloon is then removed and then the aligned vertebra is
filled with a fast-setting cement (the same cement that is used in
artificial knee and hip replacements). This solidifies before surgery
is completed and when the patient wakes up the broken vertebra has been
restored and a majority of the pain has been relieved. The patient
requires an overnight stay in the hospital and is released early the
next morning.
If you or anyone you know suffers from a compression fracture of the
spine please feel free to call for an evaluation for treatment with
Kyphoplasty.
Stephen B. James, DO, FAOAO, FACOS
Complex Spinal Surgery and Orthopaedic Trauma
Resurgens Orthopaedics
1100 Northside Forsyth Drive, Suite 340
Cumming, Georgia 30041
(770) 886-8111
www.resurgensspine.com www.resurgens.com
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Health Tip
Shoulder pain and Impingement Syndrome
There are many causes of shoulder pain. One of the most common causes of shoulder pain is Impingement Syndrome. Impingement Syndrome is a process where by the rotator cuff gets pinched between the ball (humeral head) and roof (acromion) of the shoulder. Impingement syndrome is especially common in those people who have a bony spur hanging down off of their roof (acromion).
Typical symptoms include pain with overhead activities, pain at night when one rolls on the affected shoulder, and pain when reaching behind one’s body.
Initial treatment for this problem includes Physical Therapy exercises designed to strengthen the rotator cuff, anti-inflammatory, and cortisone injections.
When such non-operative measures fail, the spur hanging off of the roof of the shoulder can be shaved off with arthroscopic surgery using only poke hole type incisions.
David J. Covall M.D.
Specialty Osteoarthritis, Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement
Resurgens Orthopaedics
1100 Northside Forsyth Drive, Suite 340
Cumming, Georgia 30041
(770) 886-8111
www.resurgensspine.com www.resurgens.com |
