Get your old life back with a brand new hip or knee
You've had a touch of arthritis in your hip for as long as you can remember. But the occasional discomfort you once felt has now become disabling pain. Climbing up and down steps requires a superhuman effort. Ditto for your after dinner walk. And every morning, you wake up tired because excruciating pain keeps you up all night.
Your physician has tried more conservative measures to control your pain and increase mobility, including pain medication, injections, ice, exercise, even biofeedback, but nothing has helped. Finally you saw an orthopaedic surgeon who recommended a total joint replacement for your ailing hip. Understandably, the prospect of such an operation is daunting.
An enlightened view of the doctor-patient relationship
One of the region's finest joint replacement programs
The latest pain management
Less pain means more gain
An enlightened view of the doctor-patient relationship
Mark Sobel, MD, medical director, Joint Replacement Program at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals explains why Virtua is a first-rate choice for joint replacement: "We offer the latest technological advancements in hip and knee replacement surgery, but what also distinguishes us is our focus on the doctor-patient relationship. At Virtua, the patient's surgeon is with the person every step of the way. Most important, every Virtua surgeon is in the operating room with the patient during the entire surgery." A word of caution: any patient considering a total joint replacement ought to ask the surgeon whether he or she remains in the operating room throughout the entire procedure.
Scott Schoifet, MD, medical director, Joint Replacement Program at Virtua Memorial Hospital says: "At Virtua, care is managed by an orthopaedic surgeon and registered orthopaedic nurses, along with rheumatologists, family physicians and internists, anesthesiologists, rehabilitation physicians, social workers, case managers, dietitians, and occupational and physical therapists. It's a highly skilled and experienced team."
One of the region's finest joint replacement programs
Virtua's Total Joint Replacement Program offers a comprehensive continuum of state-of-the-art surgical, nursing and rehabilitative care that includes everything from a pre-surgery orientation class and preadmission testing, to discharge planning and rehabilitation. And it's all right here in South Jersey, close to home, family and friends.
All Virtua joint replacement surgery is done under ultramodern conditions. Orthopaedic surgery operating suites are new, spacious and optimally lit. Anesthesia machines are state-of-the-art to maximize safety. After surgery, all orthopaedic patients stay on a special floor, staffed with specially trained nurses.
The latest pain management
Managing pain you may experience after surgery is another important part of care. Some physicians prescribe patient controlled analgesia (PCA), a system where patients give themselves pain medication through an IV line connected to a medication pump. Other surgeons prefer an equally beneficial pain management system. This method uses an epidural catheter, which is placed in the spinal area prior to surgery and is left in place for one to two days after surgery. Through it, medication is administered that literally "blocks" pain.
Less pain means more gain
Patients who experience less pain are more likely to get back up on their feet and regain function faster — often starting the first night after surgery. The faster someone can get up on their feet, the easier it may be to gop through rehabilitation — get back to their lives.
Virtua provides excellent inpatient rehabilitation services at the Virtua Health and Rehabilitation Centers in Mount Holly and Berlin, and outpatient rehabilitation at five convenient locations: Berlin, Mount Holly, Camden City, Delran or Voorhees at the William G. Rohrer Center for HealthFitness. Some patients qualify for home care services through Virtua Home Care.
For information on Virtua's comprehensive Total Joint Replacement program or to find a Virtua orthopaedic surgeon, call 1-888-Virtua-3, Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.