Center for Joint Replacement

Orthopedics

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Quality Care with a Human Touch

Choosing to have joint replacement surgery is a big decision that you must make with the advice and guidance of your doctor.

Where you choose to have the surgery is also important, because the success of your surgery and your recovery depend on the quality of your care. At the Hackensack University Medical Center Orthopedic Institute, we offer a joint replacement program that is tailored to meet your individual needs. But technical skills and a superb facility aren’t always enough. You also need a human touch, and that is another way we excel.

Your joint replacement journey is guided by an Orthopedic Nurse Navigator who is there to answer your questions, offer you help before, during, and after treatment, and make sure you understand what is happening. While you are in the hospital, your care will be coordinated by our Orthopedic Care Coordinator. This person is also an Advanced Practice Nurse who is dedicated to ensuring that you have the information, care, and services that you require.

At the Hackensack University Medical Center Orthopedic Institute, you will find expert surgeons, leading-edge technology, the most advanced rehabilitation services, and specially trained nurses who are dedicated to helping you get back to your life.

Why Do You Have Joint Pain?

A joint is where two bones come together, like your knee, hip, or shoulder. They are made up of many different parts. Joints are what allow you to bend, twist, stretch, and turn. Most joints are designed to only bones to move only in certain directions. Because bones are alive, they need blood to be healthy and to repair themselves. Diseases and damage inside a joint can limit blood flow and cause problems.

There are many reasons for joint pain. Joints can be damaged by arthritis, injuries, or other causes. Sometimes joints get worn away by arthritis or from years of use. Inflammation in the structures around your joints, extra pressure on your joints from being overweight, or referred pain, where you feel pain in one place even though the problem is somewhere else in your body are other causes of joint pain.

When a joint is damaged, your doctor may recommend surgery. Sometimes the surgeon will remove the whole joint and repair or replace the damaged parts. Joint replacement surgery is performed to improve your pain and help you move more easily. Hips and knees are replaced most often. Shoulders can also be replaced. Only a specialist with advanced training can tell you if your joint needs to be replaced.

Joint Replacement at the Hackensack University Medical Center Orthopedic Institute

Surgeons at the Orthopedic Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center have been involved in developing new technologies and implant design in both total hip and knee replacement. They have also helped develop new techniques for minimally invasive surgery for total hip or knee replacement. With minimally invasive surgery, you are likely to have smaller incisions, less trauma to the tissue, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster recovery and rehabilitation than you would after open surgery. The usual length of time for hospitalization after a total joint replacement is 1 to 3 days. The majority of patients are able to return directly home following surgery.

Find a Joint Replacement Doctor

Advanced Techniques for Complex Revisions

For some patients, a complex revision of a prior joint replacement is recommended. Many of our experienced joint replacement surgeons are especially skilled in these complicated surgeries. These procedures include repeat revision surgery, management of peri-prosthetic fractures and two-stage revision procedures for infection. Your surgeon will discuss the options with you.

Some of the Procedures We Perform Include:

Total knee replacement
Partial, unicompartmental and patellofemoral knee replacement
Total hip replacement
Anterior hip replacement
Bilateral knee replacement
Total shoulder replacement
Reverse total shoulder replacement

How Is Pain Managed?

We believe that pain management is an important part of your treatment. The Orthopedic Institute team includes doctors and nurses who are dedicated to the management of your pain. We utilize the multimodal approach to manage pain. This includes pain medications, ice, anti-inflammatories(if tolerated) and early mobilization.

If you have a history of difficulty managing your pain or taking pain medication, prior to your operation you can schedule a pain evaluation. A doctor who is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management will review your medical history, current medications, allergies, history, and past surgeries and anesthesia. We discuss options for anesthesia during surgery, and pain management immediately following the procedure and as you transition to home.

Pain & Palliative Medicine

What To Expect After Surgery:

After your surgery, you will receive advanced care from a dedicated team of healthcare professionals, and coordinated by our Orthopedic Care Coordinator. Our Pain Management specialists implement best practice medicine to help alleviate any pain or discomfort. Dedicated Magnet® nurses provide ongoing bedside care throughout your hospitalization.

You will receive twice-daily physical therapy almost immediately, provided by our advanced certified therapists. They will help you set goals to return to functioning and movement, and show you how to achieve—and exceed—those goals.

What If I Don’t Need a Joint Replacement?

We diagnose and treat all types of conditions, from acute injures to chronic, long-term degenerative diseases. We offer a variety of innovative surgical and non-surgical treatments, with treatment plans based on your individual needs. Our integrated, multidisciplinary approach means that you will get the most effective care for your condition.

When Should You See a Specialist?

If you are suffering from joint pain that has lasted over a period of time and it is limiting your ability to move or affecting your life, you may want to consult with a specialist at the Orthopedic Institute.

Your Care Team

Having joint replacement surgery can sometimes be hard. It is important to have someone you trust to help you through the process. Besides the physicians and surgeons who treat you and perform your surgery, there are other important members of your care team at the Orthopedic Institute at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Orthopedic Nurse Navigator

When you schedule your joint replacement surgery, an Orthopedic Nurse Navigator will be assigned to you. This person is a specially trained registered nurse with many years of experience. The Nurse Navigator will give you help, information, and care before, during, and after your joint replacement. The Nurse Navigator’s job is to guide you through the process of having a joint replaced. She will make sure that you understand everything from the moment you are diagnosed through your surgery, treatment and recovery. Some of the things that the Nurse Navigator can do include:

Education before your surgery and before your discharge
Helping you arrange care before you leave the hospital
Following up with you after you leave

Your relationship with the Nurse Navigator will depend on your individual case and your own needs.

Orthopedic Care Coordinator

Another important person on your care team is the Orthopedic Care Coordinator. This person is a registered nurse with advanced specialized training and many years of experience. The Orthopedic Care Coordinator is your advocate while you are in the hospital. The Care Coordinator works with your doctor and other healthcare providers to make sure that you are getting the care and services you need. She will also make sure that you understand your treatment and your treatment goals. The Orthopedic Care Coordinator is there to help ensure that you are having a satisfactory stay while you are a patient at the Orthopedic Institute.

Randy Thomas

Randy earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University and has spent the past 30 years in the specialties of Operating Room Nursing and Joint Replacement Surgery. She has held a variety of positions involving direct patient care, education and management. She has been certified in Operating Room Nursing and was a finalist for NJ Nurse of the Year in 2013. Randy’s focus is to help people go through surgery with the knowledge that they are personally cared for along the spectrum of their experience. Randy joined the orthopedic team at Hackensack University Medical Center in October 2014 and since that time has been dedicated solely to the joint replacement program. She has presented nationally for NAON at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting.

Samantha Rodgers

Samantha earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from The College of New Jersey and her Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) postgraduate degree from Rutgers University. Samantha began her nursing career at Hackensack University Medical Center as a Registered Nurse (RN) on a medical-surgical unit before transitioning into the specialty of orthopedics. Upon completing graduate school, she transitioned into the role as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) at the Orthopedic Institute. She works as a Nurse Practitioner with inpatient patients- specifically hip fracture, orthopedic spine, orthopedic trauma, and total joint replacement patients. Samantha is Orthopedic Nurse Certified (ONC) and is a member of the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses (NAON). She has presented nationally for NAON at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) annual meeting.

Janine Bodden

Janine earned her Bachelor of Science degree at Duquesne University and her Masters in Nursing from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – School of Nursing. She began her nursing career as an inpatient Orthopedic staff nurse, earning her Orthopedic Nurse Certified (ONC) designation before pursing her master’s degree. Since becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), Janine has been working with Joint Replacement patients exclusively and is currently our Total Joint Care Coordinator. In addition to holding advanced degrees in Nursing, Janine is a sought after writer and lecturer on various orthopedic topics.

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