Frankfort Regional Medical Center

FrankfortRegional.com Are Your Joints Letting You Down? If knee or hip pain has become your constant companion, it may be time to emulate the example of Nancy Yates and do something about it. Partial vs. Total Joint Replacement By now, you're probably familiar with total joint replacement, but what is partial joint replacement? "Partial joint replacement typically refers to the knee joint," says Dana M. Soucy, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Rebound Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Frankfort Regional Medical Center. "Sometimes, only one compartment of the knee joint is affected by arthritis, so it may be replaced with a smaller implant than would be used in a total joint replace- ment. Recovery tends to be quicker following partial joint replacement. "Orthopedic surgeons are divided about whether partial joint replace- ment is a better option than total joint replacement for some patients. Research and outcomes have yet to resolve this debate." 6 Nancy suffered an on-the-job injury to her left knee in 1993, beginning a slow process of degeneration that, by early 2011, left her in significant pain. Like many older Americans, the 66-year-old Frankfort resident had developed arthritis in the joint. Last spring, she visited Dana M. Soucy, MD, board- certified orthopedic surgeon at Rebound Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine and Frankfort Regional Medical Center, to discuss what could be done to relieve her pain. "Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis," says Dr. Soucy. "Nonsurgical treatments include medications, bracing, injections and physical therapy. If a patient doesn't respond to these options, total joint replacement may be appropriate in order to give the arthritic joint a new, artificial bearing surface. When patients have severe pain, results of joint replacement can be dramatic—better function and mobility can really improve their quality of life." STEPS TOWARD A HAPPIER FUTURE Nancy opted to undergo a total replacement procedure and received her new, prosthetic left knee in May 2011. As she performed physical therapy following surgery, she began feeling pain in her side. A magnetic resonance imaging exam performed by Dr. Soucy revealed arthritis in her right hip. Having already undergone one of the two most common types of joint replacement, Nancy had the other—hip replacement—last November. More physical therapy to help her adjust to her new hip has the retired mother and grandmother looking forward to getting out and enjoying the spring weather this year. "I still have slight stiffness in my knee at times, but overall, I've regained at least 75 percent of my mobility," Nancy says. "I always enjoyed walking before my knee pain became too intense, and now I feel like I can get back to doing it. Dr. Soucy—and everyone who cared for me at Frankfort Regional—did a great job." Dana M. Soucy, MD Orthopedic Surgery  To find an orthopedic surgeon, call Consult-A-Nurse toll-free at 877-376-2631 or visit FrankfortRegional.com and select "Find a Physician."

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