Florida Hospital Best in Care - Spring 2011 - (Page 12)

Countdown to New technique takes the twinge out of knee replacement Happy Knees T he average person walks between 70,000 and 150,000 miles in his or her lifetime. That’s between three to six trips around the Earth’s equator. Naturally, your knees will endure a little wear and tear with that much walking. For some, this ordinary degeneration causes pain that ultimately requires knee replacement surgery to repair. A new pain-management technique implemented by a team of anesthesiologists and Hugh Morris, MD, orthopaedic surgeon at Winter Park Memorial Hospital, is helping change that. “This is the most signiﬁcant advancement I’ve seen in 23 years of knee replacement surgery,” says Dr. Morris. “Traditionally, the pain during recovery from surgery makes some patients afraid to undergo the procedure and therefore suffer needlessly. This technique helps make the post-operative experience much better.” Beneﬁts of the new technique are quickly felt by patients as they awake from surgery. Just ask Barbara Haas, 74, of Titusville and a patient of Dr. Morris’, who has had knee replacements both the traditional way and with the new pain management technique. “I feel much better after my latest replacement,” says Barbara. “I was so nervous to have my left knee done after going through the pain of my ﬁrst replacement, but I would tell anyone it was much better this time.” “This is one of many orthopaedic innovations at Florida Hospital,” says Dr. Morris. “We were also the ﬁrst in Florida to perform knee arthroscopy and use Laminar Flow technology to reduce the risk of infection.” The technique provides such vast improvement in postoperative pain that Florida Hospital’s orthopaedic team will begin using it at other Florida Hospital locations. FEELING THE DIFFERENCE INJURED KNEE? REMEMBER R I C E REST Stay oﬀ the injured knee as much as possible. ICE Apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel for 10 to 20 minutes, three or more times a day. After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply heat. COMPRESSION Wrapping the swollen area with an elastic bandage can decrease swelling. Just don’t wrap too tightly. ELEVATION Raise the injured area above your heart for maximum swelling reduction. Hugh Morris, MD, Orthopaedic Surgery After injecting anesthesia high into the thigh, non-narcotic supplements numb the knee. The knee is kept numb via a pain pump for two days after surgery, speeding recovery. A signiﬁcant amount of post-operative pain and the need for high doses of narcotics are nearly eliminated. Additionally, complications that often arise from narcotics—nausea, dizziness and urinary issues—are reduced or eliminated. SAYING GOODBYE TO PAIN Join Dr. Morris at a “Countdown to Happy Knees” seminar at 5:30 p.m., ursday, April 28, at the Winter Park Civic Center. Space is limited and reservations are available by calling the Florida Hospital Friends and Family Helpine at (407) 303-1700. ATTEND A SEMINAR HEALTHY 100 12 I tips Studies show that spirituality increases life expectancy. Extend your life and deepen your faith by developing a daily devotional habit. COMMITMENT TO FAITH The skill to heal. The spirit to care.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Florida Hospital Best in Care - Spring 2011

Florida Hospital Best in Care - Spring 2011
Table of Contents
107 Years Strong
Better Health in 30 Days
Robotic Lung Surgery
Right Place, Right Time
Regaining What She Lost
You Have the Power
Countdown to Happy Knees
A 30-Minute Fix
A Treatable Dementia

Florida Hospital Best in Care - Spring 2011