Patient Stories
Sutter Orthopaedic Institute
Dave
For three years Dave suffered from osteoarthritis in both his knees. It is the most common type of arthritis which causes the cartilage in a joint to become stiff and lose its elasticity. “I got ever more bow-legged and that put a lot of pressure on my knees; especially on the inside of my knees,” he said. “If I tried to run a step it just stopped me in my steps. It even got extremely uncomfortable just walking.”
Dave was in so much pain he could barley play his favorite game, softball. “I played over a hundred games per year until the surgery,” he said. Trying inevitably to delay the surgery, Dave admits, “The cortisone shots just didn’t’ work anymore. The surgery was absolutely needed.” After calling Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, Dave was able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Endicott for the following week.
After meeting with Dr. Endicott, Dave immediately felt at ease. “He was just very low-key and very practical,” he said. “He made things very easy for me because he was obviously very competent and knew what he doing.” Dr. Endicott recommended a partial knee replacement rather than a full replacement and explained to Dave that it would last longer and would be a less invasive procedure.
Dave’s knee operation was completed without complications within 3 weeks of his first appointment at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. Dave spent four days in the hospital after the operation and just one week using the help of a walker before he was able to walk on his own again. “Ten days after the surgery I was under my own power,” he said. At his four-month post operative check-up just two days ago, Dave had gained 2 inches in height and was able to walk and stand up straight with no pain. “I can do everything I need to do at this point except running and jumping,” he said. “I can climb a set of stairs now without any problem.”
Dave’s scaring has since shrunk and is barley visible at this point, he says. At 62 years old, his recovery has been right on schedule, if not slightly ahead. “I’m very is hopeful that this will bring me back to being able to compete in sports like I could 10-20 years ago,” he said.