Joint replacement surgery in Idaho
Living with joint pain can be challenging. If you are experiencing pain in your knee, hip or shoulder that is affecting your daily life, it may be time to see an orthopedic specialist to talk about joint replacement surgery. At Portneuf Medical Center, our joint replacement specialists aim to reduce your level of pain, restore mobility and improve joint function. Total joint replacement surgery has transformed the lives of thousands of people whose joints no longer functioned properly. Take the first step towards a pain-free, active lifestyle by scheduling an appointment with one of our experienced orthopedic experts.
Surgical options
Hip replacement surgery
The biggest benefit of hip replacement surgery, and any joint replacement surgery, is the relief from the symptoms of stiffness and pain. After the recommended recovery period from this surgery, you’ll likely find that you can do many activities that were painful to do before, such as walking up stairs or going to the grocery store. Replacing the damaged joint will improve quality of life by allowing you to restore much of your independence that the pain limited.
Osteoarthritis (arthritis of the joints), develops slowly and worsens over time, causing cartilage to wear away, a decrease in joint space between the bones, or the development of bone spurs. Other symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Decreased range of motion
- Pain in hips, thigh, and groin
- Pain with vigorous activity
- Stiffness of hip joints, causing difficulty walking or bending
Many common first steps before surgery is suggested are some non-surgical treatment options to help the hips, including walking aids (such as a cane), physical therapy, exercise programs, medications, and injections. When these options don’t seem to help, hip replacement surgery is recommended.
Knee replacement surgery
You and your doctor will decide together if the best option for your arthritis is surgery. One of the best benefits of this surgery is that it relieves the symptoms of arthritis, including:
- Severe pain that limits everyday activity
- Pain that wakes you at night
- Deformity (bowleg or knock knees)
- Stiffness
Most patients who undergo this surgery experience a change in their quality of life for the better. After recovery, they are able to perform many of the everyday activities that they couldn’t participate in before.
Any combination of these factors can cause stiffness and pain and limit activity. In an arthritic knee, several things occur that can cause pain and may eventually include surgery.
Swollen knee cap
Bone spurs and excessive bone can build up
Cartilage lining is extremely thin or gone, though the degree of cartilage damage varies with the stage and type of arthritis
Space for the joint is narrow and irregular
Shoulder replacement surgery
Osteoarthritis, a common reason for shoulder replacement, develops slowly and tends to worsen over time. Symptoms of osteoarthritis in the shoulder include:
- Decreased range of motion
- Pain in the shoulder, especially with movement
- Pain that worsens with vigorous activity
- Stiffness in the shoulder joint, making it difficult to perform daily activities
Before considering surgery, doctors often recommend non-surgical treatment options to help manage shoulder pain and improve function. These options can include physical therapy, exercise programs, medications, and injections. When these treatments no longer provide relief, shoulder replacement surgery may be recommended.
About the Total Joint Center
With a legacy of innovation and leadership in joint replacement surgery, Portneuf is well positioned for the future. As leaders, we recognize that the needs of our joint replacement patients are unique and different from other hospitalized patients. With this knowledge, we opened the Portneuf Total Joint Center in 2012, a center dedicated specifically to care for our special joint patients. In 2021, we expanded the Portneuf Total Joint Unit and opened a larger, new state-of-the art orthopedic unit designed with your needs, expectations, and recovery in mind.
Today, we do over 1,000 replacements annually, with a 97% patient satisfaction rate. The joint center is staffed by a team of well-trained nurses solely dedicated to joint replacement patients. Rapid recovery protocols and pain management techniques have evolved over the past decade. As a collective result, we are seeing a decreasing length of stay; presently, over 30 percent of our patients are going home in 24 hours or fewer.
Our continued commitment to excellence, a significant reduction in readmission rates, and quicker recovery times have placed us in an excellent position for the future. Our care team is active, both educationally and clinically, we have access to many of the latest treatments and newest technologies. We consistently rank among the top in the northwest region for performing cutting-edge and innovative orthopedic surgeries. In fact, studies show that our total joint replacement patients are happier, healthier and stronger after surgery than patients at many other facilities.
The Total Joint Center and our advanced joint replacement program can help you return to an active lifestyle and a higher quality of living.
Visiting the Total Joint Center
Family and friends are welcome to visit their loved one per current hospital visitation policy. We expect visitors to be respectful of the patient they are visiting as well as other patients in the department.
At times, our patients may be on Isolation precautions, indicated by a sign outside the door. Family and visitors should follow the isolation precautions (wear Personal Protective Equipment) and guidelines as directed. For the safety of our patients who require extra assistance while ambulating, please contact a staff member to assist with mobility.