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TIME FOR A NEW JOINT?
Patrick Russell is harvesting
the reward of restored mobility
after his hip replacements. Learn
more about Methodist Mansfield
Medical Center's Joint Academy
at
MethodistHealthSystem.org/ JointAcademy .When
Patrick Russell was studying to
become a mechanical engineer back in the
1970s, he learned an important lesson:
Question everything.
So in 2012, when doctors started telling
him he needed hip replacement surgery, he
asked why.
“We had a problem finding a physician
who would explain,” says Patrick, who
lives in Paradise, Texas, with his wife,
Pamela. He finally found one in Jason
Lowry, MD, FAAOS, orthopedic surgeon
at Methodist Mansfield Medical Center,
in 2014.
By then, Patrick’s condition had
devolved into extremely painful arthritis.
Why a new hip?
“The hip is a ball-and-socket joint,” says
Dr. Lowry. “But instead of nice spherical
ball joints, Mr. Russell’s were almost egg-
shaped, which caused the hips to wear
out faster.”
Dr. Lowry agreed that Patrick needed
a hip replacement but went on to explain
why he needed it and how it could best be
accomplished with the anterior approach.
This procedure allows the surgeon to
operate between muscles rather than
cutting them, resulting in less pain and a
faster recovery.
Getting ready for a new joint
Patrick got even more answers through
the Joint Academy, a workshop for joint
replacement patients that explains how to
prepare for the procedure, what to expect
on the day of surgery, and what to do
when they return home.
“When patients are educated, they
have less anxiety,” says Paula McMahan,
RN-BC, nurse navigator with the Joint
Academy. “They’re at Methodist Mansfield
You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers
only a couple days, but then they have
weeks at home to fully recover from the
surgery. The Joint Academy prepares them
to have the best outcomes.”
At the Joint Academy, Patrick was also
able to review with his team of providers his
choice to not have blood transfusions. As a
Jehovah’s Witness, Patrick appreciated the
extra precautions taken to accommodate his
faith’s understanding of Scripture.
“We were able to confirm that his
blood count was high enough before
each procedure, but if it hadn’t been,
we could have used iron and nutritional
supplements and medications to boost his
blood count,” Dr. Lowry says.
‘Couldn’t be happier’
Patrick is now enjoying restored freedom
of movement since his right hip was
replaced in December 2014 and his left
one this past February.
“I couldn’t be happier,” he says. “If
you want to get up again and get moving
properly and take part in life, the Joint
Academy will help you get there.”
JOINT REPLACEMENT
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