Patient Testimonial
Judy, ADVANCE® Unicompartmental Knee Recipient
A fall at work prompted Judy to seek treatment for a painful knee injury. As an orthopaedic nurse, Judy had an ally immediately in Richard Rosa, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with whom she frequently worked. As they talked together about her predicament, Dr. Rosa was not immediately convinced that arthroscopic treatment would resolve Judy's pain, but since her injury was work-related, she was encouraged by another orthopaedic surgeon to pursue arthroscopic surgery.
Unfortunately, it seemed to Judy that the arthroscopic procedure made her knee worse than ever. She developed painful arthritis as a result. It seemed like every two steps Judy took, her knee would give way or lock up. She worried about falling. Going up and down steps was horrific as the pain was so intense. Her debilitating condition forced Judy to depend on crutches and be out of work for almost 6 months. This terrified Judy, as sole provider for her family. She had completely taken for granted, like most people, the ability to be mobile. She began to wonder if she had lost the ability to perform her job. And, she worried about how she would pay her bills.
One day when her knee locked again, this time for hours and requiring two injections of anti-inflammatory drugs, Judy and Dr. Rosa decided that it was time to try something different. As she was a young patient, just 53 years old with only one compartment of her knee damaged, Dr. Rosa suggested to Judy that she would be a good candidate for a procedure called unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. In this minimally-invasive procedure, only the damaged portion of the knee is replaced, leaving all the healthy bone, ligaments, and cartilage in place. As an orthopaedic nurse, Judy knew the advantages of a unicompartmental (partial) over a total knee replacement and agreed that that would be the best surgical option for her. The unicompartmental knee would allow her to recover faster with much less rehabilitation.
Dr. Rosa performed the surgery using the ADVANCE® Unicompartmental Knee implant from Wright Medical. According to Judy, "Although having any surgery is potentially serious, I thought this procedure was a breeze. I had only one night's stay in the hospital, no narcotics, and no formal physical therapy. Dr. Rosa instructed me on what exercises to perform during my recovery, which I did to regain my flexibility. In just six weeks, I was back to work – pulling 13-hour shifts on my feet, again."
"I couldn't do anything before the surgery without crutches. Now, I'm back to normal."
These results are specific to this individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level.
There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.
Only a physician can tell you if this product and associated procedure are right for you and your unique circumstances. Please consult with a physician for complete information regarding benefits, risks and possible outcomes.
