NAMES IN THE NEWS

Surgery Center of Chesapeake Performs First TJR

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

The Surgery Center of Chesapeake in Chesapeake, Virginia, performed a total joint replacement (TJR) surgery on January 24, 2018, and became the first ASC in the South Hampton Roads region to perform a TJR, according to a release.

Orthopedic surgeon, Eric Neff, MD, performed the procedure and anesthesiologist Timothy Shipe MD, delivered multi-modal pain management. After the successful knee replacement procedure, the 63-year-old patient was home by the afternoon to recover in his own home.

The surgeons used a minimally invasive method and advanced anesthesia for pain management, including regional nerve blocks and non-opioid prescriptions, to perform the same-day TJR. SIGMA Total Knee System and TruMatch Personalized Solutions from DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction used 3D technology to create a customized joint for the patient. The whole procedure lasted a little more than an hour, according to the release.

“Patient selection is essential to a successful surgery and recovery,” said Julie Camardella, chief executive officer of The Surgery Center of Chesapeake, in the release. “Patients are chosen for a procedure like this only after meeting several criteria. They need to have good overall health, a desire to recover at home, the ability to withstand some discomfort, and support at home from someone who can help care for them as they recover.”

The patient chosen was Michael Druyor, who was pleased with his recovery and said that it was “going a little bit easier” than the last knee surgery he had as an inpatient. “This time they had me up and walking five hours after surgery. The last one took five weeks to recover,” he said in the release.

Druyor was required to attend a class prior to surgery to learn a series of exercises as part of his at-home recovery. He also received education about preparing his home for post-surgical care. With physical therapy at home, he was expected to return to normal activity in six to eight weeks.

Neff has several more total knee replacement surgeries scheduled at The Surgery Center of Chesapeake in the near future.