Joint Replacement
Your hips and knees bear your full body weight while allowing for an incredibly wide range of motion, making them susceptible to injury and arthritis. There are many types of hip and knee problems that are the result of sports injury, trauma, or arthritis.
Arthritis affects more than 21 million Americans and can affect the hip and knee joints, with the most common form being osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is a "wear and tear" type arthritis or joint destruction. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and stiffness. Osteoarthritis can affect people in their senior years, and can occur in middle age and in athletes.
The various joint surfaces are lined with cartilage, which is a very tough, shock absorbing material. With problems such as arthritis, strain or fractures, they may someday need to be replaced. The main objective of joint reconstruction is to replace the injured or worn joint surfaces with materials such as metal, plastic, polyethylene, ceramics, or a combination of those materials. The material selected depends on the reason for the surgery, as well as which joint is being replaced.
At South Palm Orthopedics in Delray Beach, Florida, Dr. David Buchalter is an expert in hip and knee replacements and has recently pioneered and perfected the minimally invasive procedures for hip and knee replacement. These procedures use computer navigation (GPS) to achieve pinpoint accuracy in placing of components and allow for smaller incisions, less pain, and much faster recoveries. Dr. Buchalter has spent countless hours in specialized training, perfecting his technique and has achieved amazing results. In fact, his patients have never had a post-surgical hip displacement. Dr. Buchalter is one of the few orthopedic surgeons in the country performing these surgeries.
Recent Press Release
Groundbreaking minimally invasive knee replacement offers an exciting new option for South Florida residents suffering with chronic knee pain and arthritis.
Dr. David N. Buchalter of South Palm Orthopedics leads the way with a minimally invasive knee replacement technique dramatically cutting recovery time and improving outcomes!
Knee replacements have been around for 40 years; however, traditional surgery has meant lengthy hospital stays, substantial pain, and a long recovery time. Delray Beach Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. David Buchalter, has turned the world of knee replacements on its head in South Florida by offering a minimally invasive procedure using incredibly advanced computer-assisted techniques and GPS equipment (that’s right, a global positioning system GPS) that decreases the size of a patient's incision without sacrificing precision.
For patients, minimally invasive knee replacement surgery means significantly less scarring and much smaller incisions, less pain, less risk of infection, and much speedier recovery times. Patients in South Florida contemplating knee replacement surgery will be thrilled to learn that Dr. Buchalter is one of the few surgeons in the country using this technique and has already perfected and successfully performed hundreds of these operations on patients who were reluctant to undergo knee replacement and instead lived with chronic pain and debilitation.
Dr. Buchalter says, “Not only have the length of hospital stays been decreased, but patients are now able to walk for 30 minutes without the use of a cane just one month after surgery. With the computer, I am able to use detailed information to assist with the alignment of the implants during surgery, dramatically improving the accuracy of the surgery. The better the alignment, the faster the recovery, and the more likely the knee replacement will last over 20 years. It takes a significant amount of training and dedication to learn this method. As a surgeon who performs 200 total knee replacements a year, I am one of the very few surgeons in the country using this technique. Many of my patients who have had knee replacement drive to my office two weeks after surgery telling me that they’re no longer in pain! I am thrilled to be offering this exciting procedure to the community.”
Boynton Beach resident Jean Hammer had lived with chronic arthritis and severe knee pain for years. In recent months, she had been unable to walk more than a few feet and needed assistive devices to get around. She was in constant pain. In January of this year, Dr. Buchalter performed the one hour procedure on Jean. Within weeks, she was walking again with no assistive device.
“I am so grateful to Dr. Buchalter", says Mrs. Hammer. "I had been terrified to have my knee replaced because of the long and hard recovery. To my astonishment, the pain was manageable and within a few weeks, I was walking again without any help or device. By week four, I was able to walk the entire mall with no pain or difficulty! I am completely pain free and have my life back.”
Even more technological advances are under way. Dr. Buchalter been chosen to be a leading investigator who will be performing custom knee replacements. Before surgery, special x-rays are taken and sent to a company that makes instruments that are designed to be used only in that selected individual. Dr. Buchalter is looking forward to bringing this latest innovation to South Florida.
Knee replacements no longer have to be a painful procedure with a lengthy recovery.
If you are suffering with chronic knee pain from arthritis, schedule a personal consultation with Dr. Buchalter today by calling South Palm Orthopedics at (561) 496-6622.
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