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Dr. Joel Politi Addresses Joint Replacement in Columbus C.E.O. Magazine
Health Watch: Orthopedic Medicine
More patients are undergoing joint replacement surgeries to ease debilitating pain, mainly caused by arthritis.
By: Tami Kamin-Meyer
Although Peter Martin’s body is equipped with the standard number of hips, he has undergone three replacement procedures in the past six years. He had his left hip replaced in 2004, re-placed it two years later and then did the right one in 2008.
Before the initial surgery, Martin, now 52, says he was miserable. “The pain gave me a limp and I used a cane. I couldn’t sleep because I could not get comfortable. The cartilage between the bones that would cushion (them) was gone, making any movement uncomfortable,” he says. Unfortunately, despite undergoing that first operation, Martin’s discomfort did not disappear. “The pain never really went away, which was a complication that happened. The surgeon is a friend of mine and I don’t blame him,” says Martin, a family doctor.
So he turned to Dr. Joel Politi, practice president of Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute, the largest orthopedic group in Central Ohio. Politi replaced Martin’s faux hip and the results were so positive, Politi then replaced the physician’s right hip.
The Point of Replacing a Joint
Simply put, Politi labels joint replacement surgeries “as quality of life operations.” If a person experiences severe pain or disability in a particular joint because it has lost most, if not all, of its articular cartilage, bone will rub against bone. Joint replacement surgery is designed to transform the patient’s life into a pain-free existence, assuming no complications arise.
Martin first noticed arthritic pain and discomfort in his left hip in 2002. For the two years that followed, the situation deteriorated to the point that he endured pain in his groin and while walking. The Pickerington physician inherited degenerative arthritis from his father, who himself had both hips and one knee replaced to alleviate his intense arthritic suffering.
Certainly, joint replacement surgery is among the last, not the first, suggestions offered by orthopedic physicians treating arthritis.
Nothing but the Stats
As the baby boomer generation ages, more Americans will want or need the operation to alleviate arthritic discomfort. However, according to a study released by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2009, fewer qualified orthopedic surgeons will be available by 2016. Its research indicates that roughly 72 percent of patients needing knee replacement surgery will be unable to find a surgeon to perform the operation, and the numbers aren’t that much brighter for hip-replacement candidates. Almost half of them won’t be able to undergo the operation due to the shrinking availability of qualified surgeons.
According to data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the demand for orthopedic surgeries is projected to increase dramatically between 50 and 90 percent, while Arizona and Navada are among states where the need for joint replacements is projected to double. Meanwhile, Ohio patients needing joint replacement surgery is projected to increase by 10 percent. (The number of Ohioans stricken with arthritis already has risen from 2.53 million in 2003 to nearly 2.8 million in 2007).
Replace and Recover
For his part, Martin says he feels “great” two years after Politi replaced his right hip in 2008. “I am totally pain free and can do what I used to do, to a degree. I play golf and go to the gym,” he says. However he laments that his hip complications robbed him of participating in a sport he enjoys, but can no longer play.” I miss playing softball,” says Martin.
When he had his left hip re-placed by Politi in 2006, Martin stayed in the hospital for two nights. After that, he used two crutches for one week, one crutch for the following week, then a cane for one month. Within six weeks Martin says he was “up and going.”
His recuperation from his 2008 operation to replace his right hip was even faster. “I went to Hilton Head three weeks later and walked with a cane,” he says.
Meanwhile, big changes are afoot for patients undergoing joint replacement operations at The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute. In November 2009, the facility opened the 12,000-square foot Physical Therapy and Performance Center. It houses a variety of treatment facilities designed to hasten the recovery of patients in need of physical therapy, such as a therapy pool and massage rooms.
The center will have an enormous affect on patients’ recovery periods, says Politi. “It will have an immediate impact on the patient experience and continuum of care,” he adds.
Joint Trends
Replacement joints can wear out or malfunction, just like an original joint. Just because a body joint is totally reconstructed does not mean it will function properly the rest of the patient’s life. Fortunately, advancements in technology and materials used to construct replacements serve not only to prolong the life of reconstructed joints but also to help the body adapt to its new appendage.
One of the recent improvements in replacement implants is designed to lengthen the life span of the reconstructed knee and hip joints. It can take several months, but (the implant) can be impacted into the bone so the patient can walk on it immediately.
Another trend in the joint replacement field is that the patient’s stay in the hospital is far shorter than it once was. Despite improvements in the construction of the materials used in replacement joints, patients should not expect a return to impact-loading sports following surgery. Activities such as walking and golf are suitable choices for joint replacement patients. While singles tennis and skiing are not, says Politi.
The life expectancy of a replacement joint built in the 1980’s and 1990’s is approximately 20 years. While today’s reconstructed joints are built with improved materials for increased longevity, the only way to truly gauge their life span is to study patients.
Learn more about Dr. Joel Politi, and our other orthopedic physicians specializing in joint replacement/reconstruction at The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute.
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