Bone health often is overlooked and undertreated in postmenopausal patients, even though appropriate management is critical to lower the risk of fracture and potentially catastrophic falls. Estrogen protects bones by inhibiting osteoclast cells, which break down bone. With menopause and lower estrogen levels, bone mass starts declining. A person can lose up to 20% of…
For knee replacement patients who want to return to a more active lifestyle, robot-assisted arthroplasty offers another level of precision to fine-tune the alignment of the new joint. “Not every patient is going to select to have a robot-assisted procedure done, because the standard instrumentation can produce a fantastic result,” said Jeffrey Stimac, M.D. “But…
Riding his bike on a trail, Dan Lillpop tried to turn around in tall grass. The bike stopped and Dan fell. The 65-year-old braced himself with his left arm, tearing the rotator cuff in his shoulder when he hit the ground. After a trip to the emergency room, X-rays, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)…
Kevin Himschoot, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, is the newest member of the team at Norton Orthopedic Institute – Brownsboro, specializing in knee and hip replacements. Dr. Himschoot recently completed a joint replacement fellowship at Norton Brownsboro Hospital, where he learned anterior approach hip replacement surgery using intraoperative fluoroscopy. The technique allows for precision down to the…
Lee Dulaney did her best to ignore the pain in her right hip for years. Steroid injections helped, but the pain persisted. “I’d get steroid injections, and it would feel better for a while; and then the pain would come back.” Lee said. “People would say, ‘You’re limping,’ and I’d say, ‘I know. It hurts.’”…
Jeffrey L. Gum, M.D., orthopedic spine surgeon with Norton Leatherman Spine, recently was quoted in Orthopedics Today about using robotic systems in orthopedic surgical applications. The article outlines the benefits and financial implications of having such a system, as well as projections for widespread adoption of these technologies. “What we have found is we are…
An innovative procedure at Norton Orthopedic Institute provides precise, computer-assisted guidance to surgeons performing knee replacement for patients with atypical bone structure. Those atypical anatomies can include scarring from prior surgery, a congenital condition or damage from injury. “Those surgeries are more complex than your typical knee replacement, because even though those patients healed from…
Pediatric orthopedic surgeons at Norton Children’s Orthopedics of Louisville recently printed a 3D model of a patient’s severely curved spine to prepare with greater precision for her complex surgery. The 3D model of Gracie Latkovski’s spine was used to create custom-made drill guides for each of her affected vertebra. Joshua W. Meier, M.D., and his…
Some meniscus tears will not heal. In those cases, minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery may be needed. The next question will be what kind of surgery. Athletes aren’t the only patients to experience a meniscus tear. The C-shaped discs of cartilage connect the thighbones to the shinbones. They act as shock absorbers and help keep the…
Charles F. Moore Jr., M.D., is the newest member of Norton Rheumatology. Dr. Moore earned his medical degree at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics. During that time he became the internal medicine/pediatrics chief resident. Dr. Moore completed a fellowship in rheumatology and…
As an alternative to surgery, the platelet-rich plasma injection is getting attention for its ability to help the body use its own healing properties to treat muscle, tendon and ligament injuries. During a PRP injection procedure, the doctor harvests platelets from the patient, then concentrates them in the patient’s own plasma before injecting them into…
The new Norton Mobility Lab, supported by the Children’s Hospital Foundation, provides new technology that takes mobility or gait therapy to a whole new level with virtual reality simulations. It’s the only technology of its kind in Kentucky. With the new technology, therapists can create a number of different interactive simulations, such as walking in…