Franciscan Health Center for Hip & Knee Surgery Mooresville

For more than three decades, the Center has improved patients' lives through cutting-edge surgical techniques, nationally recognized research and dedication to providing care based on each person's physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

The Center's surgeons have:

• Performed more than 45,000 total joint replacements.
• Treated patients from all 92 Indiana counties, across the United States and the world.
• Published more than 400 peer reviewed journal articles and conducted numerous high-profile studies in the field of orthopedics.
• Over 90 years of combined experience, including national and international leadership roles. 
• Exclusive memberships in the Knee and Hip societies and the European Hip Society. 
• Participated in Operation Walk, a non-profit volunteer medical services organization that provides free surgical treatments for patients in developing countries and in the U.S.
• Hosted numerous surgeons from around the world who are part of the prestigious John T. Insall Traveling Fellowship Program.
• Been featured on Indiana's list of Top Doctors the last several years. 

You can trust the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery for highly personalized care, backed by the latest advancements in total joint technology. Our physicians are nationally recognized leaders in their field and our entire Center staff is dedicated to meeting the individual, specialized needs of our patients.

The Center for Hip & Knee Surgery has received a number of honors for quality and outstanding outcomes, including:

• Franciscan Health Mooresville ranked #1 Hospital in Indiana for Medical Excellence in Joint Replacement (CareChex® – an information service of Quantros Inc., 2018-2020).
• Franciscan Health Mooresville ranked Top 10% in the Nation for Joint Replacement (CareChex® – an information service of Quantros Inc., 2018-2020).
• Recognized as one of the “100 hospitals and health systems with great orthopedic programs” (Becker’s Healthcare, 2017).
• Aetna Institute of Quality® Orthopedic Care Facilities Award for Total Joint Replacement Surgery (2017).   See our news release. 
• A five-star rating in total knee and replacement for the past 11 years (Healthgrades, 2003-2015).
• Top 2% in the Nation for Joint Replacement Surgery (Healthgrades, 2015).
• Named America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement Surgery (Healthgrades, 2015).
• Annual host for John N. Insall Traveling Fellows - top knee surgeons who visit the top 10 knee replacement sites in the world to observe the latest knee replacement techniques.

The IMPACT Center provides perioperative consulatation and nursing assessments. The IMPACT Center is staffed by physicians who work closely with patients and their surgeons to reduce the risk of surgical complications. Beginning with a patient's perioperative assessment and continuing through the hospital stay, hospitalists address any non-surgical issues that may arise. 

A hospitalist: 

• Can often see patients quickly and more often.
• Is available to meet with patients and families to provide medical counseling and education.
• Works with other medical experts, such as radiologists or primary care doctors, to help patients get proper and timely treatment during their hospital stay. 

Our hospitalists also provide primary care services to all hospital patients, helping to enhance and ensure a comfortable stay and quality care. 

We do not follow patients long-term, nor are we a Primary Care Physician office. 

The Franciscan Physician Network joint replacement surgeons in Carmel and Mooresville perform same-day joint replacement surgery.

Is Same-Day Joint Replacement Right For You?

• You are in relatively good health
• You are motivated to return to an active lifestyle
• You have caregiver support and can easily move about at home
• Your surgeon/care team offers specialized education to prepare both the patient and the healthcare partner on the upcoming procedure

You and your family can be assured of personalized attention to detail, including:

• Pre- and post- surgery education and a thorough pre-surgery history and physical exam
• IMPACT Center physicians closely manage surgical patients in cooperation with their surgeons, starting with pre-operative assessments and continuing throughout their hospital stay to address any non-surgical issues that may arise.
• Specially trained physical therapists and nurses provide inpatient and outpatient therapy, helping to motivate, strengthen and guide each patient to his or her best result.
  
  

Patients planning on having sugery at either our Center for Hip and Knee Surgery Center in Mooresville or Carmel facility are highly encouraged to download and read one of the below patient handbooks. 

Center for Hip and Knee Surgery Center Mooresville   |  Center for Hip and Knee Surgery Center Carmel

Mark Stanforth had been down this road before. Six years ago, after enduring growing discomfort in his left hip, he had it surgically replaced. The successful procedure helped him to maintain his busy veterinary practice. So, several years later, when the right hip started acting up and the pain and interruptions to his lifestyle became intolerable, he didn’t hesitate.

“The discomfort just got to be too much of a distraction,” the 62-year-old Kokomo, Indiana, resident said. “I was having a lot of discomfort while helping out my son-in-law on his family farm. I couldn’t sit in a boat while fishing for any period of time without pain. I was getting tired of leaning against the wall to put on my pants.”

Mark had his right hip replaced – this time a same-day procedure – in December 2018. His outcome: within a few months after his surgery, and having diligently followed his prescribed regimen of exercises, he was back to full speed ahead. Mark is back to managing the farm chores, hangs with the grandkids, still enjoys doing part-time veterinary surgery and is back to fishing.

He credits the team at Franciscan Physician Network Joint Replacement Surgeons Carmel for his successful outcome. Teamwork among a patient’s caregivers is always important, but it was essential in this case because Mark had his procedure and returned home on the same day. Same-day joint replacement is increasing in popularity as it has proven to be every bit as safe, and with equally positive outcomes.

“Many patients appreciate the convenience and comfort of recovering at home instead of at the hospital,” said board-certified orthopedic surgeon Anthony Feher, MD. “With advanced multimodal pain control, we can better control pain and swelling, thus getting patients moving and rehabbing very quickly. That ensures the best possible outcome.”

The foundation of successful same-day joint replacement lies in a coordinated effort by a disciplined team of professionals working in lockstep with patients and caregivers. The process emphasizes multiple touch points during pre-op, post-op, home health and physical therapy. An internet-based communications platform called Get Well Loop™ relays coaching, pain management tracking, even photos to follow healing, to encourage ongoing communication.

“We emphasized pre-surgery planning with Mark, and with all of our same-day patients,” said Lindsay Johnson, PA-C, physician assistant at Franciscan Physician Network Joint Replacement Surgeons Carmel. “We reviewed goals and pre- and post-op exercises; discussed our expectations for speed of recovery; and worked with Madelyn (Mark’s wife) to set up the house to enable recovery. Many providers do this in a ‘joint class,’ we prefer to do it individually with our patients.”

Now, nearly 15 months since his surgery, Mark can keep the active schedule to which he’s been accustomed. “I’m feeling great and enjoying activities with friends and family pain-free. My confidence in Dr. Feher and his team paid off.”

Is Same-Day Joint Replacement Right For You?

The Franciscan Physician Network joint replacement surgeons in Carmel and Mooresville perform same-day joint replacement surgery if:

• You are in relatively good health.
• You are motivated to return to an active lifestyle.
• You have caregiver support and can easily move about at home. (In Mark Stanforth’s case, his wife, Madelyn, played numerous roles including assisting in post-op care and helping him with his exercises.)
• Your surgeon/care team offers specialized education to prepare both the patient and the healthcare partner on the upcoming procedure.

Back In The Game: Matt Returns To More Active Lifestyle

To say that Matt Greer of St. Louis has led an active life would be an understatement. He was once a catcher and co-captain for his college baseball team, a Division One ranked baseball team. After college, he was an avid bow hunter and fisher and ran an average of three to four miles a day, among other active hobbies. It would have been difficult to tell that Matt had a degenerative hip condition that would eventually cause hip pain and discomfort while he was still in his prime. 

“I dealt with the pain for about five or six years before I decided to have my first hip replacement surgery,” Matt said. “I was only in my 40s, and I felt that was too young to need joint replacement surgery.” 

However, the pain became too severe and he decided that hip replacement surgery was his only option to get him back to the active lifestyle he wanted to live. In July 2012, Matt underwent his first joint replacement surgery on his left hip. The procedure took place in St. Louis, Missouri, his home state. 

“I remember when I woke up from the surgery, I felt nauseated and in a fair amount of pain,” Matt said. 

Even after he returned home, Matt experienced pain with his new joint. 

“I went back to the doctor, explaining that I was still in pain, even though I should have been feeling somewhat better,” Matt said. “Eventually, the doctor determined that my hip bone wasn’t growing on to the stem of my replacement correctly, and probably never would.” 

The type of implant Matt received is designed to allow the bone to grow into and around the prosthetic joint. Because that growth was not happening, the new joint would never be stable and, more important, would continue to cause pain. However, fate stepped in on Matt’s behalf. 

While having a home constructed in Missouri, Matt and his wife sold their previous home and moved into a villa close to the location of their new residence. On moving day, they had their belongings delivered to their temporary home, but when they arrived to unpack, they noticed their villa had caught fire. 

“Our villa was settled between two other homes and my wife and I immediately worried they would catch fire too,” Matt said. “So we each took a side and went to notify our neighbors of the situation.” 

Matt knocked on the door of the vacation home belonging to a Franciscan St. Francis Health – Mooresville employee. He and Matt got to know one another after the fire had been extinguished and peace was once again restored to their homes. 

“He noticed that I had a limp when I walked and just started to ask me about it,” Matt said. “I explained about my first hip replacement surgery and all that I had to suffer through, and he gave me information regarding the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery (CHKS) in Mooresville.” 

After considering his neighbor’s suggestion and discussing it with his wife, Matt decided he would travel to Indiana and consult with one of the orthopedic surgeons at CHKS regarding his options. It only took one meeting with Jeff Pierson, MD, for Matt to feel it was time to take action and correct the mistakes from his first surgery. 

“I was so much more at ease with my decision to have a revision surgery after working with Dr. Pierson and his staff,” Matt said. “Their confidence in what they could do for me made me confident that everything would go well.” 

Along with Dr. Pierson’s assuring demeanor, Matt felt that the communication from and with Dr. Pierson and his staff was outstanding. 

“Throughout the whole process, communication was seamless,” Matt said. “Even from my home in St. Louis, I felt more confident in Dr. Pierson and his staff than I had with my original surgeon — and his office was just down the road.”

In February 2015, Matt underwent his revision surgery. Dr. Pierson exceeded his expectations. 

“The recovery process from the second surgery was much better,” Matt said. “I was not nauseated at all when I awoke, and Dr. Pierson and his staff managed my pain very well.” 

Matt was able to head home and continue his recovery process in a very short amount of time, and even after he was settled in at home, Dr. Pierson continued to work with him and ensure Matt was healing correctly. 

“There is no comparison; I was doing stuff just five weeks after my second surgery that I couldn’t do after my first surgery,” Matt said. “I’m just so happy to know what it can feel like to be pain-free again.” 

Matt has been able to get back to the active lifestyle he missed for so many years: fishing, hand-washing his cars and coaching youth baseball in the summer, as well as hunting season in the fall. He knows that running may never be an approved activity with his new hip, but he foresees himself becoming as active as he possibly can. 

“I know, sooner or later, I will need my right hip replaced too,” Matt said. “I can tell you right now that I will be traveling back to Dr. Pierson again when that time comes.” 

Matt was so impressed with Dr. Pierson and his staff, he has recommended that a few of his in-laws who have joint concerns make appointments and meet with him as well. 

“My whole experience with the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery and Dr. Pierson has been outstanding,” Matt said. “I have the opportunity to now live my life how I want, not how the pain would only allow.”

Day 1: Joint Surgery

Following your surgery, your nurse will perform an overall assessment and serve as your primary contact person and caregiver throughout your stay. 

A physician from the IMPACT Center will check your medical status and address any questions you or your family may have.

Some patients will be asked to walk, with assistance. It’s important to rest, drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated, and recover from the anesthesia so that you are ready for physical therapy on Day 2.

Our team will work with you to manage pain, order meals, and whatever else is necessary to make your stay as comfortable as possible.

Day 2: Postoperative Day 1

You’ll begin to use your new joint to help you walk and stand. In the morning, one of our physical therapists will visit to help you through exercises, with the goal of having you walk across the room and back to your bed. They will return in the afternoon to repeat the process.

Your nurse will distribute your medications and tend to your needs throughout the day. Your surgeon will check in with you and answer any questions you might have. Your nurse will continue to assist you with pain management, ordering meals and other requests you may have.

One of the IMPACT Center doctors will evaluate your general medical status to ensure that your body’s systems are functioning properly.

A case manager or social worker will meet with you to discuss and develop a discharge plan tailored to your personal needs. Any needs for rehabilitation centers or extended care facilities also will be addressed at this time.

Day 3: Road to Recovery

On Day 3, depending on your progress, you may be discharged from the Orthopedics Unit to continue recovering at home or another facility. Your surgeon and one of the IMPACT Center doctors will evaluate your progress and medical status.

While your surgeon will make the final decision regarding your discharge from the unit, several milestones will help determine when you are ready:

• You must be medically stable.
• You must be able to get in and out of bed, either on your own or with some light assistance.
• You must be able to walk independently with your walker or crutches.
• You must be able to go up and down three steps with your walker or crutches (though you may require some assistance from one person).

You’ll learn additional exercises to improve your recovery and continued use of your new joints. You also will receive discharge instructions, including restrictions that are crucial to the healing process.

If you are not discharged, a physical therapist will visit you twice today.

Just 20 years ago, a patient undergoing total joint replacement could expect to spend a week or more recovering at the hospital. Today, new methods of pain control, cutting-edge materials and less invasive surgical techniques have changed that equation.

“It’s pretty amazing how far we’ve come, from being in the hospital for seven days to being able to go home the same day,” said Anthony Feher, MD, a Franciscan Physician Network orthopedic surgeon in Carmel and Crawfordsville, Indiana.

A total joint replacement is a surgical procedure in which parts of an arthritic or damaged joint are removed and replaced with a device to replicate the movement of a healthy joint. Hip and knee replacements are most common, but replacement surgery can be performed on other joints as well.

Pain Management

Dr. Feher said one of the biggest changes in recent years is a multimodal approach to pain management. In the past, pain management consisted of giving the patient an anesthetic during surgery and then narcotics to control the post-operative pain. Today, the approach begins before surgery.

“We’re giving patients medicines prior to surgery before they even get into the anesthesia room that can decrease inflammation after surgery and decrease the post-op nausea and vomiting. Patients aren’t nearly as uncomfortable postoperatively as they used to be in the past,” Dr. Feher said.

During surgery, regional blocks are used to control pain without as much general anesthetic, avoiding the side effects of higher doses. The methods also reduce the need for narcotics to reduce pain immediately after the operation.

“It allows us to get their motion back quicker. They feel better because they are up moving around. It decreases the risk of blood clots. And it’s made it possible to send patients home the same day of surgery because their pain is so well controlled,” Dr. Feher said.

Press-Fit Or Cementless Joint Technology

Another recent change is the use of pressfit joints for knee surgeries in younger patients, Dr. Feher said. New methods of processing the polyethylene plastic used in the joint has led to less wear and improved effectiveness. Press-fit joints, which have long been used in hips, are put in without cement. In a press-fit joint, the implant has a rough surface in which the bone grows into, providing a longer lasting joint – important for younger patients.

The greatest advantage of a press-fit joint is over time, the bone holds solidly to the implant, lessening the chance of the implant becoming loose.

However, they do require time for the bone to grow into the implant. Additionally, this technology requires solid bone for fixation, and therefore, weak, osteoporotic bone might not tolerate a press-fit implant.

Sitting high on a hill in the gentle rolling terrain of Morgan County is a place where many people have rediscovered improved mobility and quality of life. And this place of healing is no great secret. 

Once again, Franciscan Health Mooresville has been named #1 in Indiana for Joint Replacement and #6 nationally for medical excellence in joint replacement care. The 2019 ratings come from CareChex®, an information service of Quantros, Inc. The hospital earned similar ratings in 2018. 

The rating system is designed to assist hospitals and healthcare systems to improve quality of care and promote clinical excellence to patients, payers and employers. It marked the second consecutive year the hospital’s joint replacement program has held the top rank and been in the nation’s top 10. The Mooresville hospital is home to the internationally known Center for Hip & Knee Surgery (CHKS), which has served patients for more than three decades. The Center performs approximately 2,500 joint replacements each year, treating patients from all over the nation and the world. 

Further, CHKS physicians have instructed hundreds of visiting surgeons in the latest techniques and methods for joint implants. They also lead “Joint Replacement Road Shows” at various locations throughout Indiana, discussing topics such as joint replacement surgeries and the latest treatment options and conditions.

“This continued recognition truly attests to the dedication of our orthopedic surgeons and their surgical teams of nurses and other caregivers,” said Sharon Annee, administrative director for orthopedics and neurosciences for Franciscan Health Central Indiana. “We are extremely grateful for their ability to care for patients in such an exceptional manner.” 

The Center recently was recognized as one of the “100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Orthopedic Programs” by Becker’s Healthcare. It also has garnered the Aetna Institute of Quality Orthopedic Care Facilities Award for Total Joint Replacement.