Orthopedics

Orthopedics

For patients in the Mat-Su Valley area coping with musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, The Surgery Center of Wasilla provides top-rated orthopedic care. Our orthopedic specialists pinpoint and treat disorders that can strike vulnerable areas in your body — including your neck and back, foot and ankle, hip and thigh, knee and lower leg, shoulder and elbow, and hand and wrist zones.
Physicians affiliated with the Surgery Center of Wasilla are specially trained in the following care areas:

Sports Medicine

Foot / Ankle

Hand & Upper Extremity

Joint Replacement

Shoulder

Knee

Hip

Fractures

Pediatrics

Over the span of time, the impact of joint disease, arthritis, or excessive body weight can erode the hip joint. Arthritis can be an inherited disease process that appears with age. Maintaining a healthy body weight is a controllable risk factor. Excessive body weight wears out the normal knee and hip joints which were never intended to carry a human that is obese or morbidly obese.

The problem of obesity is growing, which in turn causes more joint problems. As of 2015, 34.9% of U.S. adults are obese or morbidly obese, according to the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA). The study also found that obesity worsens as a person enters their 40s and 50s. Obesity is higher among middle age adults, 40-59 years old (39.5%) than among younger adults, age 20-39 (30.3%) or adults over 60 or above (35.4%) adults.

Hip Replacement

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, about 193,000 hip replacements are performed yearly. With the aging of the post-World War II baby boom generation (those born between 1946-1964), this number will grow significantly as the large segment of the population ages into their 50s, 60s and 70s. By 2040, an estimated 500,000 knee and hip replacements may be performed yearly.

The good news is joint implant technology is improving. This allows the artificial joint to last longer. Likewise, because of the expected longer life of artificial hip joints, more orthopaedics surgeons may recommend hip replacement to patients that have not responded to conservative treatment. Ideally, the extended life of artificial joints will help eliminate the need for a revision surgery on an elderly patient in their 70s or 80s.

A traditional open hip replacement surgery takes about one-to-two hours, although an extremely proficient hip surgeon who does a large volume of cases may be faster. The hip surgeon makes an incision along the side of the hip and carefully moves the muscles at the top of the thighbone to reveal the hip joint. The surgeon then removes the ball and socket portions of the joint. Artificial joint parts are inserted into the thighbone and pelvis, and fixed into position to create the artificial joint.

Knee Replacement

The knee is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. It is a complex joint with many components. Surgery Center of Wasilla is affiliated with board-certified orthopedic surgeons that are experts in diagnosing and treating knee pain and injuries.
Surgery Center of Wasilla is the first ambulatory surgery center in Alaska to offer robotic-arm assisted total knee, partial knee and total hip replacements with Stryker’s Mako System. This highly advanced robotic technology transforms the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling surgeons to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy.

The demand for joint replacements is expected to rise in the next decade. Total knee replacements in the United States are estimated to increase by 673 percent by 2030, while primary total hip replacements are estimated to increase by 174 percent. Yet studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of patients are dissatisfied after conventional surgery.

With Mako, we can provide each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy, using a virtual 3D model, Mako allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively before entering the operating room. During surgery, we can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across the joint replacement service line to perform total knee, total hip and partial knee replacements.

Mako Total Knee

The Mako Total Knee application is a knee replacement treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. Through CT-based 3D modeling of bone anatomy, surgeons can use the Mako System to create a personalized surgical plan and identify the implant size, orientation and alignment based on each patient’s unique anatomy. The Mako System also enables surgeons to virtually modify the surgical plan intra-operatively and assists the surgeon in executing bone resections.

Mako Partial Knee

The Mako Partial Knee application is a treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis that has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee. Following the personalized pre-operative plan, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to execute the pre-determined surgical plan and position the implant. By selectively targeting only the part of the knee damaged by osteoarthritis, surgeons can resurface the diseased portion of the knee, while helping to spare the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding the knee joint. Studies have shown robotic-arm assisted partial knee replacement to be two to three times more accurate than manual partial knee replacement procedures.

Mako Total Hip

The Mako Total Hip application is a treatment option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease of the hip. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to prepare the hip socket and position the implant according to the pre-determined surgical plan.  In cadaveric studies, Mako total hip replacement acetabular cup placement has been shown to be four times more accurate and reproducible than manual total hip replacement procedures.

We are proud to be the first ambulatory surgery center to offer this highly advanced robotic technology in our area. The addition of Mako to our orthopedic service line further demonstrates our commitment to provide the community with outstanding healthcare.

Specially Trained Physicians
Physicians affiliated with the Surgery Center of Wasilla are specially trained in the following care areas:

Sports Medicine

Foot / Ankle

Hand & Upper Extremity

Joint Replacement

Shoulder

Knee

Hip

Fractures

Pediatrics

Joint Replacement
Over the span of time, the impact of joint disease, arthritis, or excessive body weight can erode the hip joint. Arthritis can be an inherited disease process that appears with age. Maintaining a healthy body weight is a controllable risk factor. Excessive body weight wears out the normal knee and hip joints which were never intended to carry a human that is obese or morbidly obese.

The problem of obesity is growing, which in turn causes more joint problems. As of 2015, 34.9% of U.S. adults are obese or morbidly obese, according to the Journal of American Medicine (JAMA). The study also found that obesity worsens as a person enters their 40s and 50s. Obesity is higher among middle age adults, 40-59 years old (39.5%) than among younger adults, age 20-39 (30.3%) or adults over 60 or above (35.4%) adults.

Hip Replacement

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, about 193,000 hip replacements are performed yearly. With the aging of the post-World War II baby boom generation (those born between 1946-1964), this number will grow significantly as the large segment of the population ages into their 50s, 60s and 70s. By 2040, an estimated 500,000 knee and hip replacements may be performed yearly.

The good news is joint implant technology is improving. This allows the artificial joint to last longer. Likewise, because of the expected longer life of artificial hip joints, more orthopaedics surgeons may recommend hip replacement to patients that have not responded to conservative treatment. Ideally, the extended life of artificial joints will help eliminate the need for a revision surgery on an elderly patient in their 70s or 80s.

A traditional open hip replacement surgery takes about one-to-two hours, although an extremely proficient hip surgeon who does a large volume of cases may be faster. The hip surgeon makes an incision along the side of the hip and carefully moves the muscles at the top of the thighbone to reveal the hip joint. The surgeon then removes the ball and socket portions of the joint. Artificial joint parts are inserted into the thighbone and pelvis, and fixed into position to create the artificial joint.

Knee Replacement

The knee is vulnerable to a variety of injuries. It is a complex joint with many components. Surgery Center of Wasilla is affiliated with board-certified orthopedic surgeons that are experts in diagnosing and treating knee pain and injuries.
Surgery Center of Wasilla is the first ambulatory surgery center in Alaska to offer robotic-arm assisted total knee, partial knee and total hip replacements with Stryker’s Mako System. This highly advanced robotic technology transforms the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling surgeons to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy.

The demand for joint replacements is expected to rise in the next decade. Total knee replacements in the United States are estimated to increase by 673 percent by 2030, while primary total hip replacements are estimated to increase by 174 percent. Yet studies have shown that approximately 30 percent of patients are dissatisfied after conventional surgery.

With Mako, we can provide each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy, using a virtual 3D model, Mako allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively before entering the operating room. During surgery, we can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across the joint replacement service line to perform total knee, total hip and partial knee replacements.

Mako Total Knee

The Mako Total Knee application is a knee replacement treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. Through CT-based 3D modeling of bone anatomy, surgeons can use the Mako System to create a personalized surgical plan and identify the implant size, orientation and alignment based on each patient’s unique anatomy. The Mako System also enables surgeons to virtually modify the surgical plan intra-operatively and assists the surgeon in executing bone resections.

Mako Partial Knee

The Mako Partial Knee application is a treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis that has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee. Following the personalized pre-operative plan, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to execute the pre-determined surgical plan and position the implant. By selectively targeting only the part of the knee damaged by osteoarthritis, surgeons can resurface the diseased portion of the knee, while helping to spare the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding the knee joint. Studies have shown robotic-arm assisted partial knee replacement to be two to three times more accurate than manual partial knee replacement procedures.

Mako Total Hip

The Mako Total Hip application is a treatment option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease of the hip. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to prepare the hip socket and position the implant according to the pre-determined surgical plan.  In cadaveric studies, Mako total hip replacement acetabular cup placement has been shown to be four times more accurate and reproducible than manual total hip replacement procedures.

We are proud to be the first ambulatory surgery center to offer this highly advanced robotic technology in our area. The addition of Mako to our orthopedic service line further demonstrates our commitment to provide the community with outstanding healthcare.

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