Welcome to New Steps Joint Replacement Center at CMC
The Joint Replacement Center at CMC is a Three Phase Rapid Recovery Program, which utilizes a combination of advanced surgical techniques, preoperative education classes and innovative anesthesia & pain control methods that can potentially lessen traditional rehabilitation and shorten hospital length of stay substantially.
Joint Replacement Services We Perform
- Total Hip Replacement
- Total Knee Replacement
New Steps at CMC
A Minimally Invasive Approach
As the baby boomer generation ages, surgeons have consistently sought ways to get them back on their feet as soon as possible after joint replacement surgery. Thanks to the new Rapid Recovery minimally invasive technology, patients are able to make a faster return to normal everyday activities.
Dr. Harry Schmaltz,an orthopedic surgeon at CMC, is now offering the Rapid Recovery Program as an alternative to traditional joint replacement.
A combination of new techniques and advanced procedures can potentially lessen traditional rehabilitation substantially. The program is called the Rapid Recovery Microplasty minimally invasive joint replacement.
The Microplasty technique utilizes a shorter incision, which reduces blood loss, muscle disruption, postoperative pain, hospital stay and rehabilitation. For patients a shorter incision can mean a quicker return to work and everyday activities.
Dr. Schmaltz explains, “While the smaller incision is important, we are also focusing on the patient’s well-being. The program uses educational materials to condition the patient before surgery as adequate education helps set the entire psychological aspect of the patient’s recovery. An educated patient has a better understanding of his/her role before, during, and after joint replacement.”
“We also encourage patients to socialize with other joint replacement patients in our New Steps Recovery Unit and invite family members or friends to participate as “coaches” to assist in the patients recovery.”
The concept behind Rapid Recovery is a culmination of everything that is known about state-of-the-art joint replacement, says Dr. Schmaltz.
“Everything we know about preoperative preparation, intra-operative techniques, and postoperative care has finally pulled together,” he says. “The result should be happier, and more productive patients.”
Providers
Pre-op & Post-op Exercises
Follow the exercise program chosen for you and your personal health. The following are examples of exercises your surgeon may choose for you. Do not attempt exercises not recommended by your doctor.
Hip Replacement Exercises:
- Single Leg Step-Up
- Hip Flexion
- Heel Slide
- Short Arc Quads
- Hip Abduction & Adduction
- Ball Squeeze
Knee Replacement Exercises:
- Seated Knee Flexion
- Knee Extension Stretch
- Knee Extension – Passive
- Knee Extension – Straight
- Straight Leg Raise
- Sitting Knee Extensions
- Ankle Pump
- Quadriceps/Gluteal
1. Thinner Profile
The Zimmer Gender Knee has a thinner profile for women so the knee replacement feels natural, not bulky.
The bone in the front of a woman’s knee is typically less prominent than in a man’s. Traditional implants have a thickness in front that may end up making them feel “bulky,” which may result in pain and a decrease in range of motion. The Zimmer Gender Knee has a thinner profile to accommodate this anatomical difference between men and women.
Thinner Profile: View Animation
2. More Natural Movement
The Zimmer Gender Knee has more natural movement, allowing the implant to move more like the natural knee.
The angle between the hip and the knee affects how the kneecap moves over the thighbone when the knee is in motion. Women have a distinct shape that frequently results in a different angle between the hip and the knee when compared to men. The Zimmer Gender Knee accounts for this difference, allowing for more natural movement.
Thinner Profile: View Animation
3. Contoured Shape
The Zimmer Gender Knee has a contoured shape to more closely match the narrower anatomy of a woman’s knee. This contouring provides for a more precise fit and may prevent the implant from overhanging the bone and potentially pressing on or damaging surrounding ligaments or tendons.
The bone in the front of a woman’s knee is typically less prominent than in a man’s. Traditional implants have a thickness in front that may end up making them feel “bulky,” which may result in pain and a decrease in range of motion. The Zimmer Gender Knee has a thinner profile to accommodate this anatomical difference between men and women.
Thinner Profile: View Animation
Reference
Scott NW. Pearls on avoidance and treatment of intraoperative and postoperative complications – exposure of the stiff knee. Presented at: American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, Knee Society Specialty Day; March 25, 2006.
