[784caroline]

I cannot speak highly enough about the skills of Dr Nguyen and his unique process of doing full knee replacement surgery. I had it done thursday (12/18) 1pm in Florida Hospital Altamonte Springs. Great staff, private room and very happy with the hospital itself. By 10pm, the night of surgery, I had my first PT and was walking (with walker) 600 ft. Friday I walked 1200 ft and was released from the hospital. Prior to release you do some group PT and its practical stuff...how to get in and out of a car, how to walk stairs, plus other exercises you should be doing. Normally after release, he would have sent me directly to outpatient PT but because of the holiday schedules I am doing home care first. It has been great. Knee flex the night of surgery was 101 degrees, friday 103, by sunday it was already 110 with a goal of between 130-135 degrees. Pain level has been minimal and moreso when I try to bend the knee to get flex. This is critical in your rebhab. Today 4 days after sugery I am pretty much off the walker and walking (slowly) on my own....no pain...but still on some pain meds. Biggest adjustment is trying to get greater knee flex and moreso training your mind to accept the fact that you have an artifical knee and you must learn to "trust" it.

Just compare what I have just stated above from first hand experience, to other local surgeons who perform this operation the normal or routine way over the knee cap. For the most part their patients are in (heavy) pain and discomfort for 2-3 weeks before they can start walking.

Dr Nguyen's procedures and protocols will definitely be the future of full knee replacements . I could not be more pleased. If you are considering Dr Nguyen, be preapred to wait for teh initial appointment and then the waiting list once approved by him for surgery is approx 6 months out.

Any questions, just ask!!

[pbkmaine]

What is different about the way he does it?

[massapequa girl]

I need a replacement as well, Dr. Kerina wants to do a partial, everyone says Dr. Nguyen is the best, but I'm not sure anymore. appreciate you input if you can call me 753 4028..I am scared to death to have it done!

[784caroline]

Originally Posted by pbkmaine

What is different about the way he does it?

The primary difference is that almost all doctors make the incision over the knee cap cutting all ligaments and muscle along the way and then stitching it up after the knee is replaced. THis is very painful and the time to recover and start walking is delayed. DR Nguyen uses the same prostesis knee as other Drs (Stryker), but he cuts the the side of the knee allowing him to simply move aside the ligaments and muscles. This procedure dramatically reduces the amount of pain the patient is in and allows much better and quicker recovery time to walk. He is the ONLY Dr in the States and worldwise to use this procedure and he is currently tryng to patten the procedure for use by other Surgeons.

[CFrance]

I am bookmarking this thread. Thanks for the information, and merry Christmas and a speedy recovery to you, 784caroline!

[Villages Kahuna]

How about a quick name, address and phone number?

[The Mountaineer]

Welcome to the 300,000 a year who get knee replacements.

Since I got my store-bought knee nearly a decade ago, it was the cut and replace procedure you mentioned. Oh, yes, there was a LOT of pain for weeks, including 2 in a rehab place. But the results have been magnificent, other than it being tricky to get in and out of cars and requiring an aisle seat at concerts so that I can stick my right leg out into the aisle. I walk up to 3 miles a day when we travel to 52 countries and 43 states, and I'm 82 years old. I go to the Cuyahoga Falls Natatorium with the free Medicare Silver Sneakers program 3 times a week to maintain the knee. It gets stiff if I don't flex it every 15 to 30 minutes.

If I have to do the left knee someday, I'll check into the later procedure. Medicine is always coming up with better ways to do things.

[Polar Bear]

Nothing against Dr. Nguyen at all, but I've been very pleased with my TKR done by Dr. Duke early this year. I had minimal pain, was out of the hospital on the second day, and up and around almost immediately. I'm convinced that success of the replacement (assuming the doctor does a good job of course) is almost totally dependent on the patient's commitment to the therapy.

[784caroline]

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

How about a quick name, address and phone number?

Dr Steve Nguyen
Optimotion Orthopedics
1640 N Maitland Ave
Maitland, Fl 32751
407-355-3120

He also has office hours near The Villages on Fridays just off Rolling Acres Rd across from Home Depot. However, all appointments need to go through his maitland Office.

[villages07]

784... Congrats on getting that pesky knee fixed. Perhaps tennis is back in your future?

I have had both knees replaced by Dr Kerina...6 and 3 years ago. I did attend dr Nguyens seminar before my second TKR and it was intriguing. Given my success with Kerina I stayed with him but would have used Nguyen otherwise. I have heard similar success stories as yours from other Nguyen patients. The best thing is that you did it and can get back to the activities you enjoy. Good luck with the rehab.

[texasfal]

My husband had a knee replacement by Dr. Nguyen on 5/22. He did so well he was back playing division 1 softball in August. Absolutely no pain, in fact he took only 1pain pill and that was only because the PT requested that he do so. I can't praise Dr. Nguyen enough.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by 784caroline

The primary difference is that almost all doctors make the incision over the knee cap cutting all ligaments and muscle along the way and then stitching it up after the knee is replaced. THis is very painful and the time to recover and start walking is delayed. DR Nguyen uses the same prostesis knee as other Drs (Stryker), but he cuts the the side of the knee allowing him to simply move aside the ligaments and muscles. This procedure dramatically reduces the amount of pain the patient is in and allows much better and quicker recovery time to walk. He is the ONLY Dr in the States and worldwise to use this procedure and he is currently tryng to patten the procedure for use by other Surgeons.

Actually, there are 8 Orthopedic Surgeons in the US now using this method; my wife's surgeon in KC (Dr. David Paul) is now using it. It is the way to go if a person needs knee replacement.

[slipcovers]

This procedure is done by several ortho surgeons in the US. It involves robotic navigation and 3D images, computer assisted. Dr Nguyen was trained by Stryker to use this minimal invasion TKR. The hospitals invest millions for the robotic navigation system, not Dr Nguyen. There are other companies that have developed robotic navigation, Maco and Praxim are two. This procedure is not for everyone, your doctor will tell you if you are a candidate.

[Buckeyephan]

I called for an appt. in August and couldn't get one until January. At that time, they were scheduling surgeries for March but my time would not happen until after I saw him. Ridiculous! That would mean almost a year from first call to surgery. Dr. Duke did my right knee on Dec. 8. So far, things are great.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Buckeyephan

I called for an appt. in August and couldn't get one until January. At that time, they were scheduling surgeries for March but my time would not happen until after I saw him. Ridiculous! That would mean almost a year from first call to surgery. Dr. Duke did my right knee on Dec. 8. So far, things are great.

That length of time is typical for the great Ortho. Doc's that are in high demand; it was the same way with my shoulder Doc in KC; he's the best in the Midwest at what he does.