From OR to RV: Enjoying Life After Knee Replacement

When Varnville resident Larry Cooke began experiencing pain and stiffness in his right knee following his recovery from back surgery, he was puzzled. Before then, his left knee was the “bad” one, yet he had always been able to maintain an active lifestyle.

“As part of my recovery from back surgery I was supposed to walk two miles a day,” Cooke says. “It wasn’t long before my ‘good’ knee became so painful I could hardly straighten it out, much less walk on it.”

In fact, the former Palmetto Electric lineman couldn’t do much of anything. Eventually, he even had to hire help to take care of the yard work.

“I climbed poles for 40 years and couldn’t even climb a small ladder,” he says. “It was unbearable.”

Searching for Solutions

He was referred to one specialist in Charleston who prescribed injections and physical therapy, but everything seemed to make his pain worse.

The 74-year-old retiree eventually found his way to Beaufort Memorial, where it was discovered that all the cartilage in his knee was gone — worn away from years of favoring the “good” knee to compensate for the “bad” one.

After another round of injections failed to alleviate the pain, a doctor recommended that Cooke consider a total knee replacement. Cooke was not enthusiastic.

“I had always heard from friends that the surgery was so painful,” Cooke says. “Many of them said it was so bad they would never have another one, so I was afraid.”

SmartRobotics Made for a Smart Decision

Cooke was educated about how a minimally invasive technique using Mako SmartRobotics™ technology would be ideal, as it involves smaller incisions and a faster recovery.

“In recent years, we have been using robot-assisted technology for knee and hip replacement surgery at Beaufort Memorial,” says Dr. Vandit Sardana, a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Beaufort Memorial Orthopaedic Specialists. “It allows surgeons to replace joints with pinpoint precision, customizing the placement and alignment of the implant to the patients’ unique anatomy, with the goal of providing more natural movement of the joint and increasing its longevity.”

Read More: Finessing Knee Replacements With a Robotic Arm

Cooke was happy to learn that most joint replacement patients at Beaufort Memorial only spend one night in the hospital — and about a third go home the same day as their surgery. Since Cooke’s surgery was later in the afternoon, he stayed overnight so the care team would have time to work with him.

“While more and more patients are able to go home the same day, moving to an outpatient surgery isn’t for everyone,” Dr. Sardana says. “The advantage to doing this type of surgery in a hospital environment, instead of an outpatient clinic, is that the surgeon and care team can make a decision about when to discharge based on the individual patient’s needs.”

Following surgery, Cooke was moved to a room at the hospital.

“I got out of bed and walked there,” he says. “I couldn’t believe it!”

After his discharge the next day, he received in-home physical therapy for two weeks, followed by outpatient physical therapy for four weeks.

Read More: What to Expect After Knee Replacement Surgery

On the Road Again

“Within two weeks I was using a cane and walking up and down steps,” he says. “I hardly had any pain and took no pain medicine other than a Tylenol or two. I had more trouble figuring out how to keep the incision dry while taking a shower than anything else I did with my new knee!”

Two months later, he and his wife, Ann, hauled a nine-foot Christmas tree into their living room, and Cooke climbed the ladder to hang the ornaments.

“I can pretty much do anything I want with my new knee,” he says. “I can kneel on it and climb on it. It truly is remarkable.”

Cooke still has his left knee to contend with, but when the time comes, he says he will not hesitate to have another knee replacement with robotic technology.

“I would highly recommend this,” Cooke says. “I would tell anyone in pain to go ahead and have the surgery.”

For now, Cooke is enjoying his new knee and planning some trips with his wife in their motorhome.

“We have an RV and go camping a lot,” he says. “I’m looking forward to getting back out on the road.”

Ready to leave knee or hip pain behind? Register for an upcoming Solving Hip and Knee Pain seminar or discuss your options with an orthopedic specialist.