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AS T ECHNOLOG I CA L ADVANCE S I N SURGE RY

move forward, more and more people with arthritis are benefiting. Surgery for arthritis relief is being used more because of the improvement in techniques available and successful outcomes it brings. There is a point when medication and other conservative treatments can only do so much, but surgery has come a long way in treating arthritis to get you back to the life you dream of having. Even for young candidates, surgery has been used more often and has been successful in improving quality of life. For example, a new hip replacement surgery that has been very successful is the direct anterior approach. In this procedure, the surgeon uses a special table that allows access to perform the replacement from the front of the hip. This “tissue-sparing” hip replacement allows the surgeon to work between the natural intervals between the soft tissues that stabilize the joint and can result in a more rapid return to normal function. This approach reduces pain, speeds recovery time and helps prevent dislocations. “Whether you’ve been contemplating surgery for years or just begun, surgery is a serious subject that requires thorough consideration and consultation with your doctor,” says Stephen R. Southerland, MD, from Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery.

Once you have determined that surgery is your next step, keep in mind that not all surgeries are alike. There are many types available to relieve arthritis pain, so it is important to ask a lot of questions to decide what surgery is best for you. Some questions to keep in mind are:

What do you want to achieve from the surgery—less pain, better movement, and/or improved mobility?

Will this surgery help you achieve your desired goals?

Will another surgery be needed?

How long will the results last?

“People affected by arthritis who have surgery often regain almost all movement, allowing them to perform daily activities,” Dr. Southerland says. “The key is to work with an experienced surgeon to determine which direction is best for you.”

Visit us at YouTube.com/swstories to view rehab videos.

R E L I E V I NG AR THR I T I S PA I N

When surgery is the answer

Stephen R . Southerland, MD Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery

200 NE Mother Joseph Place, Suite 110, Vancouver, WA 98664 360.254.6165

Southwest Laboratory Services

transitions to PeaceHealth Laboratories

As part of the larger transition with PeaceHealth and PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, Southwest Laboratory Services has joined with a broad network of laboratories across Washington, Oregon and Alaska, all known as PeaceHealth Laboratories. The network now includes 27 Patient Service Centers with 10 testing laboratories and a fleet of new courier cars to exper transport specimens. While many

phases of the integration are complete, the laboratory testing menu will not

transition until March 1, 2012. Get a sneak preview at www.peacehealthlabs.org.

TALK WITH A DOC: BONE AND JOINT HEALTH FOR AN ACTIVE LIFE When: Dec. 14, 6 p.m. Where: PeaceHealth Southwest’s Health Education Center

Info: Bone and joint health is

more than adding exercise or rehabilitation from an injury into your daily routine. Life is active. Whether it’s taking groceries in from the car, playing weekend tag football, wrestling with the kids or stirring oatmeal cookie batter—it all requires a healthy

body in motion. And, sometimes an illness, injury or the normal aging process takes us away from life. Learn how to maintain or recapture your active lifestyle. Presented by Stacey Ostrin, MD, Southwest Medical Group Fisher’s Landing.

Southwest Medical Group is becoming PeaceHealth Medical Group on Jan. 1, 2012. Although we are changing our name, the providers and caregivers at Southwest Medical Group will remain the same. Please go to

www.FindYourDoctorRight.com for more information.

www.swmedicalcenter.org 3