4 minute read

The comforts of home

Next Article
Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord

f you are in need of a new hip, shoulder or knee, Advanced Orthopedics Institute (AOI) in The Villages is the place with the doctors and technology to get it done in the most convenient and bene cial way possible. That’s because while most patients of AOI’s Dr. Alfred J. Cook, Jr., and Dr. John T. Williams, Jr. can be treated without surgery, up to 80 percent of those who need a joint replacement of the hip, shoulder or knee can now have surgery in the morning and go home the same afternoon.

Benefits of Outpatient Joint Replacement:

• Recovery is in the comfort of your own home

• Reduces risk of infection and exposure to communicable diseases

• Pre/post-surgical education guides you through a successful recovery

Ideal Candidates are:

• Highly motivated and able to follow post-surgical instructions

• Generally healthy, active and independent

• Supported by a strong network of family and friends

First in Florida with MyMobility®

Advanced Orthopedics Institute was the rst practice in Florida to use Zimmer Biomet’s mymobility® with Apple Watch® app, which keeps patients connected to their surgeon and care team throughout this process to assist them in:

• Optimizing their health prior to surgery

• Learning what to expect the day of surgery

• Helping minimize complications after surgery

• Offering guidance toward regaining mobility

If hip, shoulder or knee pain is a ecting your quality of life and holding you back from participating in activities you once enjoyed, outpatient joint replacement surgery may be the solution.

We’re here to provide you with lifechanging relief, and now, with a new o ce on the horizon, the conveniences AOI o ers have never been greater. Look for more information about our new location in the months to come.

Dr. Cook is among the nation’s leaders in shoulder surgery to restore rotator cuff function, performing more in a year than many orthopedic surgeons do in a lifetime. The majority of his shoulder replacements are now being done as outpatients.

These types of revolutionary procedures not only allow patients to recover in their own home, but are also helping patients who are “pseudo paralyzed” from their conditions return to the sports and activities they most enjoy.

“We see a high level of satisfaction among those who undergo outpatient shoulder replacement surgery. They are happy their pain has been eliminated, and they’re excited when they have normal function again,” says Dr. Cook.

Dr. Cook is undoubtedly a pioneer in shoulder replacement surgery. He has worked with companies to help formulate superior implant designs that replicate normal anatomy.

Additionally, he has served as a surgical navigator using imaging systems to deliver precise representation of a patient’s anatomy during surgery, which allows for optimization of implant placement.

Imagine all that with no need for a hospital stay, which is now possible since Dr. Cook began performing outpatient shoulder surgeries prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Previously, patients spent two or three nights in the hospital following shoulder surgery.

“There are obvious advantages to outpatient surgery,” Dr. Cook says.

“When you’re not in the hospital, there’s a lower risk of infection after surgery.

Dr. Cook makes sure patients receive adequate after-care through regional anesthetics, pain medications, and physical therapy.

“The home creates an environment of success for patients,” Dr. Cook says.

Dr. Cook completed medical school at Northwestern University McGaw School of Medicine and a sports medicine and shoulder fellowship at Duke University.

Today, Dr. Cook serves as the chief of orthopedic surgery at UF Health The Villages Hospital and as medical director for TLC Surgical Center.

In his free time, he enjoys weight training, marksmanship, and tennis.

JOHN T. WILLIAMS, JR., MD

Dr. Williams is at the forefront of hip and knee replacements and revision surgeries nationally. As director of the Einstein Medical Center Total Joint Program, in Philadelphia, he introduced some of the mostadvanced surgical techniques available to reconstruct and replace hips in adults.

He now performs most of his total knee and hip replacements on an outpatient basis for patients who are good candidates If that’s not enough, Dr. John Williams has an outstanding personal assistant by his side when performing knee replacement. The assistant is, in a sense, a second set of eyes.

But this is no human. It’s a robot named ROSA.

ROSA is a robotic platform that takes a personalized approach to each patient’s knee replacement using a three-dimensional model created from special x-rays. The x-rays are matched to a patient’s knee to help deliver accurate placement of implants with less soft-tissue dissection. The robot’s computer technology, camera, and optical trackers assist Dr. Williams to control and move surgical instruments.

“This is state-of-the-art technology, and we’re excited to use it from a surgical perspective,” Dr. Williams explains. “Thanks to this technology, we can be more precise with the alignment and placement of implants. For patients, this leads to a more natural feeling of the knee.”

Dr. Williams has been using the ROSA Knee System at his practice, Advanced Orthopedics Institute, for more than one year. In the past quarter, he has performed more surgeries using the ROSA system than any physician in Central Florida.

The procedure comes with numerous advantages.

“For patients who undergo knee replacement using ROSA, we can safely send about 40 percent of them home on the same day,” he says. “Others may require a one-night hospital stay.”

In addition, recovery times are shortened thanks to a multi-modal approach that includes pain control medication, nerve blocks, and physical therapy. That’s great news for residents of The Villages who lead active lifestyles.

Dr. Williams completed medical school at Howard University and served as director of total joint replacement at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia from 2000 to 2011. Today, Dr. Williams serves as chairman of surgery at UF Health The Villages Hospital.

In his spare time, Dr. Williams enjoys singing, bowling, and fishing.

352.901.6582

April Is

Wings

Distracted driving is ANY activity that takes attention away from the task of driving. If a driver is not focused on the road, it significantly limits their reaction to impending hazards and the ability to avoid them.

Using a cell phone, interacting with other passengers in the vehicle, eating, adjusting vehicle systems all take your attention but texting is the most

Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for at least 5 seconds. At 55 mph, it’s the equivalent of driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed. – per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration make the roadways of SAFER FOR EVERYONE. Keep both eyes on the road, your hands on the wheel, and your attention on your surroundings.

This article is from: