Handbook of Hip & Knee Joint Replacement: Through the Eyes of the Patient, Surgeon & Medical Team

Written in simple, non-jargon language and nearing 3,000 copies sold world wide, this highly praised, unbiased resource is for anybody thinking about total joint replacement. For the everyday person it creates a decision making framework that guides you through the entire journey by using a proactive approach and empowering you to a successful outcome. As Dr. Hugate, Robert Holland, and Francine Campone comment on--and amplify--each other's chapters -- Inger Brueckner explains physical therapy (did you know that PT is a must?), and Dr. Checa explains your options in anesthesia (did you know you have options?). So, what's in this handbook for you?

• Empowerment - through knowledge and understanding!
• Insight - into the minds of the surgeon, anesthesiologist and physical therapist!
• Wisdom - from the patients and medical providers in their own words!
• Learn - that joint replacement is not the only choice, and so much more!
• Laugh - as our illustrator adds his own wry sense of humor in the form of cartoons!
• Understand - the roles of the various in-hospital medical professionals!
• Know - the risks involved with joint replacement and how to tell when things aren't going right!
• Plan - how to prepare your home for afterwards and what you can do to strengthen yourself before you go!
• See - the processes of arthritis and joint wear!
• Prepare - for physical therapy and why its so critically important!
• Realize - how your own human-factors act as a decision making matrix
• Create Success - by including your family and teaching them how they can help!

The Medical Contributors:

• Orthopedic Surgeon: Dr. Ronald R. Hugate Jr., MD, FAAOS - a renowned surgeon who also specializes in bone oncology and limb preservation, is a veteran combat-surgeon in the U.S. Army Reserves and has taken care of our troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Anesthesiologist: Dr. Gianni Checa MD - a renowned anesthesiologist and pain management specialist in Denver Colorado.
• Physical therapist: Inger Brueckner, MSPT - works with Dr. Hugate and is an excellent, senior physical therapist (and teaches and lectures on PT).

The Patient Contributors:

• Dr. Francine Campone -- successfully navigated the total replacement of both hips.
• Robert Holland PMP -- successfully navigated the total replacement of both knees.

Chapters include but are not limited to:

• A comprehensive guide concerning non-surgical alternatives
• What to expect and what could go wrong
• The anatomy of your leg and the debilitating effects of arthritis
• Non-jargon descriptions of the surgeries
• Helpful articles written by actual patients
• Expert subject matter essays from the medical team's point-of-view
• How to prepare your home for the best, safest, post-surgical outcome
• Detailed post-surgical cautions
• Checklists for the hospital stay
• Insurance considerations and suggestions
• A glossary of terms written to be easily understood for non-medical people

As far as the various methodologies explained in the handbook, every joint implant manufacturer has their own proprietary path. We didn't list these on purpose, as they are a biasing factor having much to do with commercial competition and corporate marketing. The basic principles of replacing a person's hip or knee joint will remain the same into the foreseeable future, the implant must be placed correctly and must be a good fit. While trends, materials, and methods concerning total joint replacement continually change and evolve, the decision making processes, the cautions and limitations, and the reasons for considering such a life changing operation all remain the same.  Moreover, while each person's stay in the hospital will be somewhat different than described in the passages about the actual hospital stay (written by Mr. Holland based on his own experiences), many people have never been through such a profound operation as total joint replacement. The description of how it feels to go through this experience has been lauded by medical professionals and patients alike as being extremely helpful.