Many Orthopedic
Options Right Here at Home
Dr. Thomas Beck’s expertise has made it possible
for patients to receive state-of-the-art orthopedic procedures close to
home. “The best option for the patient is always the basis for decisions
made regarding treatments,” Dr. Beck said.
For over a year, Dr. Beck has been using the
Oxford™ Uni-compartmental Knee System as an alternative to total knee
replacement surgery. Unlike total knee replacement involving removal of
all the knee joint surfaces, a uni-compartmental knee replacement
replaces only the damaged portion of the knee joint. According to Dr.
Beck, “Sometimes arthritis affects one side of a knee joint and the
other side can remain healthy. So, it just makes sense to leave the
healthy portion alone and resurface only the damaged side. The Oxford™
Knee can save the healthy knee structures, encouraging normal knee
motion and function.”
In the Oxford™ Uni-compartmental knee, the meniscal
bearing is not fixed to the tibial component. It is free to move as the
knee moves, limiting the forces on the implant that may later lead to
loosening. And, with the use of the Oxford™ surgical instruments and Dr.
Beck’s minimally invasive techniques, the operation can be performed
through a small incision. Because only less tissue is removed, patients
are likely to heal quicker and experience less pain.
“My first patient went home in 2 days, was off
crutches in 3 ½ weeks, and had quadriceps muscle function recovery in a
fraction of the time as compared to patients with total knee
replacements,” Dr. Beck said.
Even though this procedure is very enticing to
patients, it is not always possible. According to Dr. Beck, potential
patients have to go through a thorough exam, including complete x-rays
to determine if the Oxford™ Uni-compartmental Knee is the best choice.
Another state-of-the-art procedure that Dr. Beck
performs uses a special shoulder implant on patients who might not have
been able to be treated without it. Depending on the severity of
osteoporosis, the ability to treat a severe shoulder fracture can be
hampered if the bone is very frail. If the bone cannot remain intact to
support the screws placed in the bone to repair the fracture, success is
unlikely.
“Prior to this new technology, some osteoporotic
shoulder fractures could not be adequately repaired,” Dr. Thomas Beck,
Orthopedic Surgeon at The Richland Hospital in Richland Center,
Wisconsin said. “The increasing age of our population and the increasing
number of patients with osteoporotic fractures, make new technology like
the one used in this procedure very important,” he said.
Dr. Beck and the orthopedic surgery team at the
Richland Hospital perform the following surgical procedures:
