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HEALTH SOURCE
New Technology at St. Mary’s Regional Joint Replacement Center Already Changing Lives
Patient Nancy Mallory talks to Vivek Neginhal, MD, shortly after Nancy’s surgery in October, 2008.
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Nancy Mallory has tears in her eyes when she remembers the trip to Kings Island last year with her nieces and nephew. The kids had a good time, but Nancy hasn’t been able to walk on her own for the past 15 years, so she couldn’t do much at the amusement park. Nancy spent the entire visit in an electric wheelchair and she was also in excruciating pain. “My knee joint was so bad I could hardly walk,” Nancy said. “I was in constant pain.” But today, Nancy’s life has changed. Nancy sought help from Vivek Neginhal, MD, of Scott Orthopedic Center and the medical professionals at St. Mary’s Regional Joint Replacement Center. Nancy became the first joint replacement patient in the state of West Virginia to receive a Custom Fit Knee
replacement.
“Her Face Changed Overnight When the Pain Went Away”
Custom Fit Knee replacement is a new technique that allows the surgeon to match the fit and placement of the total knee implant to the patient’s unique anatomy. Dr. Neginhal began by taking an MRI scan of Nancy’s knee area to get a very precise measurement. The image is then used with a special computer software program to build a 3-D model of Nancy’s arthritic knee. The computer then corrects the deformity on the image and restores the knee anatomy to a pre-arthritic condition. A precise cutting model is made for each patient. When the surgeon makes the cuts using this method, it produces a knee which feels natural like the original knee joint before the patient had problems. “This knee is made to fit the patient so the soft tissue around it doesn’t have to adjust,” Dr. Neginhal said. “That’s the reason there’s less pain. Nancy was the first knee replacement patient I’d had in some time who didn’t need pain medication on the first day after surgery. It was astonishing to see how her face changed overnight when the pain went away.”
Recovery Time Improves
St. Mary’s Regional Joint Replacement Center is proud to have the only fellowship trained joint replacement surgeon in the Huntington area. Dr. Neginhal completed his double fellowship under world renowned joint surgeons in Chicago and New York. Dr. Neginhal’s outcomes have impressed patients and the caring staff at St. Mary’s Regional Joint Replacement Center. But the Custom Fit Knee surgeries on Nancy and other patients have created even more of a “wow” factor. “Our goal in the joint replacement center is to get patients active and back home as quickly as possible,” said Lou Ann Waldron, coordinator of St. Mary’s Regional Joint Replacement Center. “The Custom Fit Knee speeds up the recovery and all the clinical data shows it’s a big benefit for patients. We’re glad to have another first here at St. Mary’s and it’s great to see people like Nancy free of chronic pain.”
“I’ve been asking my patients if they would like to have a knee that will feel ten to fifteen years younger,” Dr. Neginhal said. “You already know the answer, but it’s the best way to tell patients the difference they’ll see once they get the Custom Fit Knee,” he added. The surgery for the knee implant restores the “natural” knee. It preserves soft tissue with minimal bone removal and it feels more like a normal knee.
Custom Fit Knee vs. Computer Assisted Navigation
Dr. Neginhal is pleased to be able to offer the Custom Fit Knee because it provides more precision than computer-assisted navigation. “Custom Fit Knee technology is far superior to computer assisted navigation, which was touted as cutting edge technology until now,” Dr. Neginhal said. “Computer assisted navigation still has variables because it relies on the surgeon for the input of information in to the computer.”
Dr. Neginhal’s Patients are Helping Spread the Word
Dr. Neginhal has implanted several Custom Fit Knees since Nancy Mallory became the first patient in West Virginia to receive the technology. Not every patient is eligible for this type of surgery, but those who meet the criteria immediately see the benefit. Zane Speer lives in Warfield, Kentucky and Zane just had his surgery this month. “I was in pretty bad shape until I met Dr. Neginhal,” Zane said. “Now I’m up walking with no pain. My therapists are amazed at my progress, and I’m telling everyone I know who needs a knee replacement they should go to Dr. Neginhal.” Jane Napier is an LPN who also received the Custom Fit Knee replacement. “My job requires me to be on my feet all day, and I was struggling because of the tremendous pain in my knee,” Jane said. Now that I’ve had this surgery, I’m doing really well. I love Dr. Neginhal. He’s really wonderful.”
A Return Trip with the Kids to King’s Island
Nancy Mallory has lost thirty pounds since her surgery and she no longer needs a wheelchair. Her mobility and lung function have improved so much she also doesn’t need an oxygen tube to help with breathing. She is already thinking about a return trip to King’s Island with her nephew and nieces and this time she knows it will be different. “It’s been my dream for several years to be more active with the kids, but my knee made that impossible,” Nancy said. “Now I’m up walking without pain and I’m determined to get on a few of the rides, maybe even a roller coaster.” In the past, Nancy had many ups and downs because of her knee problem and she knows that’s now over. “I wish I had sought treatment sooner,” Nancy added. She had been putting off surgery for more than a decade. “I’m glad the timing worked out and I was fortunate to be the first to get a Custom Fit Knee,” she added. “My life is so much better now, and I want to thank St. Mary’s and Dr. Neginhal.”
