Our Falls Prevention Team; Greg Jones: Named Outstanding Nurse

Advanced hip replacement surgerygets patients back to their livesFor patients needing hip replacements, St. FrancisRegional Medical Center now offers one of thenewest and most advanced surgical options availableanywhere in the country. The technique, calledSuperPATH, is minimally invasive, which means thatthe surgeon makes two small incisions and performsthe operation using special instruments insertedthrough the small cuts.“Unlike typical approaches for hip replacements,SuperPATH does not involve cutting any tendons,dislocating the hip socket or placing the leg in anyabnormally twisted positions,” said K. Dean Olsen,MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Park Nicollet Clinicwho performs the technique at St. Francis RegionalMedical Center. “As a result, there’s significantly lesstissue damage.”Less tissue trauma speeds healingBenefits of the surgery include:• shorter hospital stay — only one to two nights• faster recovery and return to normal activitieswithin three to four weeks• less pain than a typical hip replacement• no physical restrictions after surgery — patientscan bend over and cross their legs, which manycannot do following a typical hip replacementprocedure.Helping patients live pain-freeTom Bartz, 42, had his hip replaced with theSuperPATH technique at St. Francis earlier thisyear. After seeing four different doctors and, in hisopinion, waiting six years too long, he finally crossedpaths with Olsen and this less-invasive procedure.Bartz had severe osteoarthritis, a painful condition inwhich bone rubs on bone.“Before the surgery, I couldn’t do everyday simplethings like carry my son, step through snow or walkup and down stairs. I had pain on every step, even onlevel ground, and I just couldn’t take the painanymore,” said Bartz. “I had the surgery ona Tuesday, was home on Wednesday, and the nextday I was walking down my street and back tonormal activities within two weeks. After my hipreplacement surgery, I am pain-free. My onlyregret is hesitating and waiting,” he said.Tom Bartz, happy andpain-free, two weeks afterhis hip replacementsurgery at St. FrancisRegional Medical Center.8 Considering hip surgery? Visit stfrancisshakopee.com,click on Services and thenOrthopedic & Neuroscience to learn more. Tomake an appointment with K. Dean Olsen,MD, please call 952-993-3230.Fall 2012 stfrancis-shakopee.com 5