He's a Jolly Good Fellow
On my last blog post I talked a bit about who will do your surgery. This is a very difficult decision for anyone, as even in this country there are no rules or regulations concerning specialty training in many surgical procedures. In Orthopaedic Surgery, for example, just finishing an Orthopaedic Residency allows you to legally (and morally) perform joint replacement surgery. You are trained in it. You should be able to do it. The problem is that over the past twenty years the bar of quality has been raised. It is now a standard in the community for a surgeon to do a fellowship which is an extra year of training in joint replacement.
What does fellowship training mean for you?
It means that your surgeon has spent a FULL YEAR at an established joint replacement center studying the science and surgical art of joint replacement. This is not a six week course, a weekend course, or all the other scam-like terms used by some surgeons to hide from the public their lack of fellowship. It is a level of commitment to the skill that is impressive.
Does this mean a fellowship trained surgeon is a better surgeon?
This can never be said. Evaluation of the quality of a surgeon is in many categories. What is does say is that this particular surgeon committed himself or herself to the field of joint replacement surgery at a higher level. What can definitely be said is that the surgeon who does a fellowship is a better surgeon than he or she would have been if a he or she did not do that fellowship. How much better? WAY BETTER!
How does this help me decide on a surgeon?
It is one of the many parameters you can use. In my last post I wrote of surgical volume and clearly fifty or more procedures a year is a minimum number to go by. Therefore we now have two important parameters to consider:
Ask a lot of questions of your surgeon.
Dr. K.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: joint replacement, orthopaedic surgery, arthritis, health and wellness
What does fellowship training mean for you?
It means that your surgeon has spent a FULL YEAR at an established joint replacement center studying the science and surgical art of joint replacement. This is not a six week course, a weekend course, or all the other scam-like terms used by some surgeons to hide from the public their lack of fellowship. It is a level of commitment to the skill that is impressive.
Does this mean a fellowship trained surgeon is a better surgeon?
This can never be said. Evaluation of the quality of a surgeon is in many categories. What is does say is that this particular surgeon committed himself or herself to the field of joint replacement surgery at a higher level. What can definitely be said is that the surgeon who does a fellowship is a better surgeon than he or she would have been if a he or she did not do that fellowship. How much better? WAY BETTER!
How does this help me decide on a surgeon?
It is one of the many parameters you can use. In my last post I wrote of surgical volume and clearly fifty or more procedures a year is a minimum number to go by. Therefore we now have two important parameters to consider:
- Does my surgeon perform fifty or more of this procedure a year?
- Did the surgeon perform an advanced fellowship in joint replacement?
Ask a lot of questions of your surgeon.
Dr. K.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: joint replacement, orthopaedic surgery, arthritis, health and wellness
16 Comments:
I had apartical knee replacement 2yrs ago,after about 5 months,the plastic part came out and went to the back of my knee,I then had emergency to have another bigger plastic put in it's place,is this a common thing?Inow have problems with this new one.
I have severe brusing on my ankle going across my foot and feels like bones sticking thru the skin. I dont have insurance but when I did doctors didnt know what it was. Sometimes I have a sharp pain sensation . I am just curious bc now I have a black dot that just showed up about a month ago. Just curious if u can help me out by maybe telling me what it is. Thank You
I have been given two cortisone injections for hip bursitis, they have not helped I read that in 2% of people the injections can make it worse and also pain at other sites can mean serious side effects from the injections. Can you tell me how I would know if I have serious side effects and what are the symptoms of the 2% that can be worse?
thank You,
Ashley Johnston
I am a twenty year old female who has suffered from arthritis since the age of thirteen. Is this normal? I also have trouble completing daily activities and getting a good nights rest with out pain and irritation. What should I do?
I am new to this site. So forgive me if this is the wrong place for this communication. I am trying to decide whether to go to the ER. I accidentally banged my foot on a piece of furniture a few days ago and think I broke a toe. But not sure if the bones under the toe are affected too. The right fourth toe is broken(purple). The swelling has not gotten worse but is quite painful of course to walk on. Last time I broke a toe, the orthopaedist said soaks were the only thing he could recommend. Should I just wait this out or go see a doctor? I have medical insurance. Would appreciate any info. - thanks.
Happy Holidays,
A.
To Angela and others asking questions about specific conditions:
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i'm experiancing knee pain that has now progressed to the point that i limp badly. i know i have cartillage damage or some thing related, but i'm hesatant to go to a dr. cause i don't want to give control to someone i don't know about. your blog is the answers iv'e been looking for. to me a dr. is like a car that needs it's tires kicked and dip stick checked. keepup the great blog. this is what poeple need to know!!
i receive cortisone injections in hip and or shoulders. i'v noticed when i need an antibiodic for infection of sorts my tendons tighten and swell with a lot of pain with that problem. do the two drugs at same period cause this problem?
I am a 42 year old woman that has now had 8 surgerys on my hip in the last 10 months. The first one was a replacement,and it all went down hill from there. I went 8 weeks with the hip out laying in a nursing home waiting for the infection to go away. When he finally put it back in I was told eveything was wonderful but still had little to no use of this leg. After 9 months of extreme pain and thinking i was loosing my mind. It was told to me the muscles were not attached to my hip and this was tha problem. I just want my life back.....I want to be able to walk across the room without my walker and without PAIN. I need to know there is hope with this leg and it,s okay to preceed with the other one. The diagnosis is severe degenerative joint disease. Needless to say it is in all my joints. HELP Pamela
I am 34yrs old with ra i have a 13 yr old child i have had 8 surgeries now i have a fused left knee i need a knee replacement badly i cant walk i am in constant pain i had to drop out off school working on my law degree. before the knee situation i had a hip replacement which had plenty complications leaving me to force and stop working. I divorce my high school sweet heart, and my new boyfriend could not handle my situation and he decided to leave my family is NOT SUPPORTIVE as well as my mom. now i can not find a doctor to help me i don't know what to do where are the good caring doctors to help me i only have medicare insurance!!!!!
I have RA and am told I am in remission. The pain is gone and the discomfort is minor, but I am still tired in the afternoons. Is this common to be tired without pain?
Hi iam a 22 year female and i have a pain in my bones,my nack,my back and my armes somtetimes i couldn sleep plase help me what should i do.
i need help...my lower back hurts really bad, pain shoots down my left leg when i walk,the pain is severe...my legs and feet then go numb till i cry and can not walk anymore,until the sensation comes back in my legs..i now have bloodspots that came to the skin surface from my knees to my feet on both lower parts of my legs ,i have had all xrays and injections and my various doctors still cant figure it out.i know you work with arthritis, and there wasnt any other doctor to ask this question.when i sit it hurts also and my legs go numb.i need some expert advice as to what to do .it gives me migraines at times.i need someones help, do you know anyone that can help me? should i go to the cleveland clinic?people say they are very good .i live in the canton,ohio area .i dont know what else to do.one doctor has me on lyrica it helps my legs but it doesnt help my back ..i am at an end to everything here in ohio with the doctors i have.they sometimes give me vicodin but it barely helps can you? i need relief i just cant stand this pain anymore.
i am 51 years old i have had 2 hip replacements and one knee replacement,my doctor refuses to see me any more because im having difficulty im allergic to the hip and knee replacements im afraid that my body is regecting it my surgeon will not see me at all and all i need is help im in constant pain my hips and knees are swelling and it has fluid in it my regular md doc cant do any thing for me i tried to go to another doctor but no one will see me as they are afraid to touch me my surgeon has said that it would be like opening up a can of worms if he tries to fix it so my question is what now? did the surgeon make a mistake or did he even know what he was doing is it the right size and what if my being allergic to the metalcan it harm me worse in time i really need help do not know what to do but the pain is unbarable ive had blocks and im taking pain medicine but something is wrong .
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I came home from the hosptal (successful lower back surgery) with an ulcer on my left ankle that doesn't seem to heal. I prefer sleeping on the left side, but pressure on it after a couple hours causes pain, interupting sleep. Any suggestions to help?
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