Orthopedic Surgery : St. David's HealthCare

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital Participates in Clinical Trial to Determine Effectiveness of WalkAide, Designed for Patients with "Foot Drop"

korr — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:03:12 GMT

"Foot Drop," Which Results in Difficulty Walking, Common Among Patients Who Have Suffered a Stroke

AUSTIN, Texas-Recently, St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital at St. David's Medical Center began serving as an investigational site for the INSTRIDE clinical trial, designed to compare a device called the WalkAide to a standard brace called an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) in treating patients with "foot drop"-a condition in which patients cannot lift their feet when walking-due to a stroke. The WalkAide is a small, electrical stimulator that is worn just below the knee to stimulate a nerve in the foot, allowing patients to pick up their foot when they take a step.

'Foot drop' is common among patients who have suffered a stroke.

"This device could give new hope to patients with this condition," Everett Heinze, M.D., affiliate member of NeuroTexas Institute at St. David's HealthCare, medical director of St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital and the principal investigator for this study, said. "This inability to flex the ankle when walking can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life."

The WalkAide is a battery-operated electrical stimulator about the size of a pager that fits on a small cuff and can be worn with or without shoes. It uses a tilt sensor and accelerometer to control the timing and duration of electrical stimulation while walking. The WalkAide consists of a battery-operated, single-channel electrical stimulator, two electrodes and electrode leads. WalkAide is applied directly to the lower leg just below the knee and can be worn discreetly under most clothing. The electrical stimulation is intended to improve foot/ankle and toe clearance and facilitate a more natural gait by improving velocity, cadence and stability.

Doctors and therapists use the GAITRite system to assess patients' progress. The GAITRite system is an electronic walkway designed with sensor pads to measure a patient's cadence and stride length as the patient walks along it. Gait measurements, such as velocity, are also recorded.

The AFO-a plastic brace that fits inside a shoe, keeping the foot in a rigid position so that patients can keep their feet from catching the ground while walking-is the current standard of care in treating "foot drop."

"AFOs are, in fact, effective in lessening 'foot drop,' but many patients find them to be burdensome and heavy, leaving them with limited options for shoe wear," Dr. Heinze said.

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital
St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital, located at 1005 East 32nd Street, is part of St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas. The hospital recently completed a total facility renovation, including all private rooms, increased capacity to serve more patients, additional state-of-the-art technology, and the largest rehab pool in the market to support the most comprehensive aquatic therapy program in the region. St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital provides comprehensive rehabilitative care for patients with neurological and orthopedic illness or injury. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's Medical Center
St. David's Medical Center is part of St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas, which was recognized as one of the top 15 health systems in the U.S. by Thomson Reuters in January 2012. Founded in 1924, St. David's Medical Center is a full-service medical center offering comprehensive medical care at three locations-St. David's Medical Center, located at 919 East 32nd Street in Austin; Heart Hospital of Austin, located at 3801 North Lamar Blvd.; and St. David's Georgetown Hospital, located in Georgetown at 2000 Scenic Drive. The three campuses offer a full range of medical specialties, as well as many other innovative health care services.

St. David's Medical Center in central Austin includes a 350-bed acute care hospital and a freestanding, 64-bed rehabilitation hospital providing comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. St. David's Medical Center provides a complete range of women's services, including its acclaimed maternity unit, maternal fetal medicine, a high-risk maternal and neonatal transport team, the region's largest and most sophisticated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, The Breast Center, and a fertility center; is home to the internationally acclaimed Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute; NeuroTexas Institute (including the TIA Center for Stroke Prevention and designation as a Primary Stroke Center); complex surgical services; a comprehensive Bariatric Surgery Center; and a 24-hour emergency department.

St. David's Medical Center was named to the list of 100 Top Hospitals by Thomson Reuters, a leading provider of information and solutions to improve the cost and quality of healthcare, in 2009 and 2010 (awarded in 2011). St. David's Medical Center was the only hospital in Central Texas to be included on the list. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital Announces Opening Of St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy

reedsmith — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 08:41:49 GMT

The New Rehab Clinic Will Provide Comprehensive Care for

Patients Suffering from Sports or Spine Injuries

AUSTIN, Texas-On October 11, 2010, St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy opened for patients needing integrated rehabilitation services for spine and sports-related injuries. The new rehabilitation clinic-located on the St. David's Medical Center campus-will combine the expertise of athletic trainers and physical therapists and will offer access to aquatic therapy in the adjacent St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital.

"Austin is a vibrant city with year-round opportunities for sports and active lifestyles," Philippe Bochaton, the chief administrative officer of neuroscience and rehabilitation at St. David's HealthCare, said. "The St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy clinic is poised to meet the anticipated needs of athletes in Central Texas, as the demand for sports medicine is increasing."

St. David's Medical Center has dedicated 4,500 square feet in its new medical office building to the St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy program. The new clinic features orthopedic therapists, fellowship-trained manual therapists, athletic trainers, and aquatic therapy specialists, and combines sport therapy with a certified McKenzie spine clinic with diplomat McKenzie therapists. Also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy, the McKenzie Method is a philosophy of active patient involvement and education for back, neck and extremity problems, according to the McKenzie Institute. The key distinction is its initial assessment component-a safe and reliable means to accurately reach a diagnosis and then develop the appropriate treatment plan.

"Our therapists will work individually with amateur athletes, elite athletes and weekend warriors to develop specific rehabilitation goals using a variety of technological analysis systems," Bochaton said.

St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy features an aquatic therapy pool (92-degrees), Biodynamics and Movement Analysis, Bioness, biofeedback, underwater treadmills and equipment, video gait and running analysis, and the Explanar Golf swing analyzer. The Explanar Golf Training System is a revolutionary golf training system that is based around the fundamental principles of the swing plane and the biomechanics of the body, promoting the ideal movements required for the golf swing and allowing the golfer to focus on executing the shot more effectively.

Therapists at St. David's Spine and Sports Therapy are trained to appropriately treat:

� back and neck pain

� jaw pain and headaches

� sprains and strains

� muscle and tendon injuries

� sport-related injuries (golf/tennis elbow, concussion)

� pre- and post-surgical rehabilitation (ligament/meniscus repair, joint replacement)

The new therapy clinic is located at 3000 IH 35, Suite 530, inside the new Medical Office Building on the St. David's Medical Center campus, near IH 35 at 32nd Street.

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital

St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital, located at 1005 East 32nd Street, is owned by St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas. The 64-bed hospital recently completed a total facility renovation, including all private rooms, increased capacity to serve more patients, additional state-of-the-art technology, and the largest rehab pool in the market to support the most comprehensive aquatic therapy program in the region. St. David's Rehabilitation Hospital provides comprehensive rehabilitative care for patients with neurological and orthopedic illness or injury. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Implements Patient-Customized Knee Procedure

reedsmith — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:55:15 GMT

VISIONAIRE Patient Match Technology Reduces Operating Time and�

Helps Produce a More Tailored and Specific Implant for Patients

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center is the only hospital in Central Texas utilizing a new, technologically advanced surgical procedure that customizes knee replacements. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, approximately 270,000 knee replacement operations are performed each year. With this new surgical technology, patients will have a more fitted implant, which may extend the life of knee implants.

The VISIONAIRE Patient Match technology uses a patient's MRI and X-ray images to design and build surgical instruments customized for his or her unique knee anatomy. Because of these pre-made cutting blocks, physicians avoid having to make multiple cuts to the patient's bone to fit the implant.

"VISIONAIRE gives doctors the ability to customize the actual knee replacement procedure, which is mutually beneficial to patients and doctors," Michael Valastro, M.D., and medical director of orthopedic services at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, said. "The technology allows us to meet the specific needs of the patient's body and cut down operating times because of the pre-sized and pre-aligned instruments. The shorter operating room time also reduces the risk of infection for the patient."

Valastro, the only doctor in Central Texas routinely using this surgical technology, has performed VISIONAIRE knee replacements on approximately 40 patients at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center.

"This technology changes the game because it reduces the number of steps in the operation and decreases operating time anywhere from 30-40 minutes," Valastro said.

In the past, an orthopedic surgeon would spend time during the procedure adapting to a knee's subtle differences, including shape and contour, in order to achieve the proper placement of the implant. The disposable, patient-specific instruments with VISIONAIRE help eliminate multiple steps in the operating room, not only decreasing the risk of infection, but also the amount of time a patient is under anesthesia.

Nearly 70 percent of knee replacement operations are performed in people over the age of 65, but a growing number of knee replacements are being performed in younger patients-making it even more important for precise implementation. An implant placed with the computer-guided precision allowed with VISIONAIRE has a reduced risk of misalignment, which can cause it to wear out before its time.

VISIONAIRE Patient Match technology was developed by Smith & Nephew, the first and only major medical device company to design, build and distribute this new technology for patients suffering from advanced osteoarthritis of the knee.

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, located in Round Rock at 2400 Round Rock Avenue, is owned by St. David's HealthCare, one of the largest health systems in Texas. With more than 170 beds, this acute care hospital provides comprehensive health services to residents of Williamson County and the surrounding areas. Services include The Heart and Vascular Center with express testing, maternity and newborn services with Level I and II nurseries at The Women's Center, and a thriving emergency department, providing Level II trauma care in Williamson County. St. David's Round Rock Medical Center is also known for advanced orthopedic and bariatric services, among other complex specialties. For more information, please visit StDavids.com.

St. David's Georgetown Hospital Hosts Joint Replacement Community Education Seminar

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

WHAT:
St. David's Georgetown Hospital will host a free Joint Replacement Community Education Seminar this November. The seminar will feature a discussion on the latest surgical technology for preserving bone and natural motion in arthritic joints with Christopher English, M.D.

When:
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Where:
St. David's Georgetown Hospital
Lobby
2000 Scenic Drive
Georgetown, TX 78626

Cost: Free

Registration:
To register for this educational seminar call (888) 868-2104 or (512) 478-3627.

Contact:
For more information, please contact Elizabeth Lindert, RN, Reconstructive Joint Center Coordinator at (512) 942-4128 or Elizabeth.Lindert@stdavids.com

Note:
Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Acquires New Technology for Total Knee Replacement Surgeries

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hospital is Only Provider of Minimally Invasive Treatment Using the Journey Deuce Knee System in Williamson and Travis Counties

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center is the first hospital in Williamson and Travis Counties to offer a bone and ligament-preserving alternative surgical option for up to 50 percent of patients needing a total knee replacement.

The Journey Deuce Knee System helps patients by resurfacing the two areas of the knee that are most affected by osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that is caused by breakdown of cartilage, while keeping the third area of the knee intact. This alternative option allows patients to keep their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), while also preserving up to 50 percent of the bone that is traditionally removed.

The ACL and PCL are stabilizers that provide anterior, posterior and rotational stability to the knee during walking and higher impact activities. With a traditional knee replacement, the ACL and occasionally the PCL are removed, which can result in instability or weakness of the knee. This new procedure allows physicians to keep both ligaments intact, thus avoiding the potential symptoms of instability, weakness or discomfort that can occur with a traditional knee replacement.

"The Journey Deuce Knee System is an innovative procedure that helps patients keep the healthy parts of their original knee that would otherwise have to be sacrificed during a total knee replacement," Michael Valastro, M.D., Medical Director of the Orthopedic Program at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, said. "This is ideal for patients who may want to resume a more active lifestyle after surgery, but not all patients are candidates for this type of knee replacement surgery."

Compared to a traditional total-knee replacement, the Journey Deuce Knee System can decrease post-operative pain, reduce the use of post-operative medication and potentially allow for a quicker recovery time.

"St. David's Round Rock Medical Center's goal is to provide the best care we can for our patients," Dr. Valastro, said. "This new knee replacement system allows patients knees to bend and feel more like a normal knee than any other implant currently available."

The Journey Deuce Knee System is the only FDA-cleared system to replace two of the three knee compartments.