The condition: Ray Shail had been suffering with knee pain for over 20 years. The 68-year-old had a congenital deformity that caused him to be significantly bowlegged for much of his life, and as he aged, his knees became extremely painful and severely arthritic. He walked hunched over due to the pain, which also started affecting his hips and back as well.
Still, Ray was anxious about having a knee replacement and fearful of hospitals. However, when an accident resulted in a broken kneecap, he was seen at the office of Dr. Robert Deveney, a specialist in hip and knee replacement surgery.
The treatment: After an exam and x-rays, Dr. Deveney informed Ray that he would be able to not only replace his knees, thus alleviating his intense pain, but was also able to straighten his legs. This could be achieved, he explained, using the latest robotic-assisted technology in surgery that has proven to be very successful.
When Ray learned about the new technology, and had the option of having the surgery as an out-patient at OrthoConnecticut’s surgical center near home in Danbury, with no hospital stay required, he decided to go ahead with a staged bilateral knee replacement.
Since the leg with the broken kneecap needed some time to heal, Ray’s other knee was operated on first. “The first two weeks weren’t easy,” Ray admits. He was impressed, though, by the fact that a visiting nurse and a physical therapist made home visits starting the day of his surgery.
After two weeks Ray started physical therapy at the offices of Motion, located in the same building at OrthoConnecticut, which was very convenient. On the day of surgery he became mobile with his new knee, and was astonished at how straight his leg was compared to the yet-to-be-operated on leg. And the pain? Completely gone after only six weeks of post-surgical therapy.
This made heading back to surgery three months after the first procedure to replace the other knee much easier. The recovery process on the other knee was similar, and after six more weeks of post-surgery therapy on the other leg, Ray returned to work full time.
The result: “It’s a miracle,” Ray exclaims, describing the difference in his life post-surgery. “My legs are parallel and I have no pain. People say I’m taller now, since I’m not hunched over. They barely recognize me now!” He adds that he now enjoys using the stairs at work, whereas in the past he could only get around using the elevators. He has a new lease on life, and so excited to be so mobile.
“Ray’s story is a testament to how successful robotic-assisted surgery can be,” says Dr. Deveney. “These procedures are more precise, cause less trauma to the soft tissues, and enable patients to recover faster.” Combined with the ability to have out-patient surgery and return home the same day makes joint replacement something patients can feel more comfortable with. “I’m thrilled Ray is no longer suffering,” he adds.
