Orthopedics at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center RiverBend

• We are a nationally recognized total joint replacement program.
• We offer pinpoint diagnoses with advanced imaging technology. This includes digital x-ray, MRI, CT, and the 64-Slice CT Scanner. Digitally-integrated operating rooms let surgeons view your scans and consult with outside specialists from the operating room. For outpatients, the latest imaging technology is available at Oregon Imaging Centers.
• Our team of orthopedic traumatologists treat the most complex fractures and patients with multiple injuries.
• Our surgeons work closely with developers of artificial joints and other new devices so patients receive the latest and most advanced technology.
• Our advancements in surgical techniques include the first surgeon in Oregon to perform hip replacement using a less-invasive anterior (from the front) approach, reducing trauma to the muscle and speeding recovery.
• We use techniques to reduce post-surgical pain and help patients recover quicker, including peripheral nerve blocks, exercise, and therapy.

Collaboration is the key to Sacred Heart’s successful orthopedics programs. Surgeons, nursing staff, therapists, doctors’ office staff members and others worked together to design our nationally recognized total joint replacement programs. They meet regularly to review and plan improvements to these and other orthopedics programs.

The orthopedics team at Sacred Heart includes:

• Orthopedic surgeons
• Orthopedic nurses specialized in surgery, pre-operative care, recovery room care, and bedside care
• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Clinical care managers, who personally guide you through your joint replacement journey
• Medical social workers, who help you arrange for any care or equipment you may need after you leave the hospital.

When accidents happen, Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend is ready. A Trauma Team is always on duty, and an orthopedic surgeon is on call 24 hours a day to care for those injured in falls, motor vehicle accidents, or other traumatic events, large or small. For more challenging cases, one of Sacred Heart’s orthopedic traumatologists will respond.

Orthopedic traumatologists are orthopedic surgeons especially skilled at caring for patients with complex fractures or multiple injuries. Each has had advanced training in treating traumatic injuries. These surgeons are assisted in the operating room by a team of nurses and other staff members who specialize in orthopedic surgery.

Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend is the only Level II trauma center between Corvallis and San Francisco. Specialized care available around the clock, such as that provided by our orthopedic traumatologists, is one reason for that status.

The Joint Replacement Center's Back On Track Program at Sacred Heart Medical Center uses a comprehensive, planned course of treatment that supports a culture of wellness and early return to activity. Care includes preparation for surgery, the actual surgery, a proven post-operative program of group physical therapy, a family member or friend who coaches you through recovery, private rooms and a personal coordinator.

If you have chronic joint pain, our team can help you return to the daily activities you enjoy.

Well over 1,000 hip and knee replacements are performed annually at Sacred Heart by orthopedic surgeons who specialize in total joint replacement. Among them is the first surgeon in Oregon to perform anterior (front) approach hip surgery, which is less damaging to the muscle and leads to a shorter recovery time. Sacred Heart’s team approach to hip and knee replacement emphasizes patient education and rehabilitation. 

Total joint replacement surgery can be a life-changing operation for those with chronic hip or knee pain from osteoarthritis. Every stage of the process, from your first appointment to your post-surgery rehabilitation, has been carefully planned to help you have the best experience and get the best result. All the acute care services you need are conveniently located on the RiverBend medical campus.

The surgery itself is only one part of the total joint replacement journey. Many other factors will contribute to the success of your hip or knee replacement, including your:

• Understanding of the steps before, during and after surgery
• Preparation for surgery
• Attendance at a pre-operative joint replacement class
• Participation in rehabilitation
• Lifestyle after surgery

The Joint Replacement Center's care team includes surgeons, operating room nurses, bedside nurses, and physical therapists—all specially trained in orthopedics and all committed to the Back on Track Program. We'll help you on your journey to health, every step of the way

If you and your surgeon decide you are a candidate for hip or knee replacement surgery, you have taken the first step in your journey. We urge you to learn all you can in advance about the procedure you are about to have. Understanding what to expect will help reduce your stress, which in turn can reduce discomfort. You are the center of your care team; take an active role.

Patient education guide books: Your surgeon will give you a patient education guide when you are scheduled for hip or knee replacement surgery. The guide books were prepared by the people involved in your care: surgeons, nurses and therapists. The books outline the steps leading up to and following surgery. They explain what you need to do to get ready.

DVD: Inside your patient handbook you will find an educational DVD. Watch it with someone who will be helping care for you after surgery. It covers much of the information in the handbook and more.

Pre-Operative Hip and Knee Replacement classes: These classes are offered every Tuesday and Wednesday at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend on the sixth floor. We urge you to attend this one-hour class three to four weeks before your surgery is scheduled. Bring a friend or family member who will be assisting you after surgery. The class covers:

• How to prepare for surgery and what to bring to the hospital
• Daily activities in the hospital
• What to expect when you arrive in your hospital room after surgery
• How to prepare for discharge from the hospital
• Home discharge expectations