My Knees Feel 25 Again

Woman’s Double Knee Replacement Surgery Relieves Long-Time Pain

Head shot of Lori Lane
Lori Lane is living life without pain after double knee replacement at Parkwest Medical Center.

Lori Lane struggled with knee pain for more than a decade. A dancer and an athlete, her knee pain began in her 20s. As she aged, she used various remedies to combat the pain, including  over-the-counter anti-inflammatories, knee braces, cortisone shots and any other method that would provide temporary relief. When she was diagnosed with end- stage osteoarthritis in both knees, she realized joint replacement surgery was the next step. Thanks to the caring surgical team at Parkwest Medical Center, Lane is living with no knee pain after a double knee replacement and says her knees “feel 25 again.”

Years of Pain

“I have always had jobs working on my feet,” Lane says. “I have worked in restaurants and in day cares, so I’m always bending over and standing for long periods of time. I got to where I could hardly walk, or I would cry when I got home because it hurt so badly.” Lane says she would send her son into the grocery store because the pain wouldn’t let her even walk across the parking lot, much less through the store. “It was hard to walk up stairs, and the pain would also make my feet throb. I felt about 100 years  old, and it felt like my life was over.” She also reports her mother and grand- mother  suffered from “bad knees,” so she knew he had a family history of the condition.

The Knee-Whisperer

When she went back to the doctor for more cortisone shots, she met Herman Botero, DO, orthopedic surgeon at Parkwest Medical Center. “I remember when I met him, he was very kind and explained my condition to me,” she says. “Now, over a year since my surgery, I know he worked a miracle. I had so much pain and now it’s just gone. I call him the knee-whisperer.” Dr. Botero assessed Lane and saw that she had exhausted all her options. He says, “Surgery is always the last option after considering all conservative methods. “She presented with long-standing history of progressive worsening bilateral knee pain. She  had end-stage bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees and was losing motion from pain and stiffness. It was to the point she had given up on leisure activities, and the burden of arthritis was  causing her quality of life to suffer. She had done physical therapy, lubricant injections, knee braces and sleeves, and medication. That is when we consider surgery, when other conservative measures have failed.”

Minimally Invasive Approach

Head shot of Herman Botero
Herman Botero, DO

Dr. Botero performs a less invasive approach of knee replacement surgery. He avoids cutting the quadriceps tendon and muscle, so it’s called a “minimally invasive quadriceps-sparing total knee replacement.”

“This approach does not involve cutting the major muscle. The patient gets a 4-inch incision as opposed to the standard 8-inch incision, and there is less trauma to the body by not cutting the quadricep tendon or muscle. With less trauma, you tend to see easier recovery and quicker healing.” He explains that most of his knee patients go home the same day as surgery and attend physical  therapy for six weeks. “Usually patients have achieved 80- 90 percent of recovery in that first six weeks, which is quicker than the typical three months of recovery following traditional knee  replacement. “The goal of knee replacement surgery is to alleviate knee pain, improve function, return patients to the activities they enjoy and improve their qua of life,” Dr. Botero says.

At Parkwest

Her right knee was replaced in September 2019 and the left knee was re- placed in 2020. Both of Lane’s procedures were outpatient, and she was up and walking soon after the surgery. “I loved Parkwest,” she says. “The atmosphere, that everything in the facility was updated, and everyone had a nice bed- side manner. I didn’t stay the night either time. Everyone was  helpful, from the people at the front to the people at the bedside. “No matter how much you prepare, you don’t know until you do it,” Lane recalls. “I was better prepared the second time. You get up and walk on it pretty quickly. I used a walker. The second day after surgery was the worst. Once you get past that first week, the pain eases up.” She adds, “I was thrilled that I was a candidate. I know I had an easy time, and I have just  the tiniest scars to prove it. I’m so thankful.”

“I Got My Life Back”

Lane’s words of advice for others in her similar situation are simple. “I say, go for it!” she  exclaims. “I got my life back. I can go to the store and zoom from one end to the other, up  and down stairs, and across parking lots with no pain.” The childcare worker likes being  outdoors, going on walks and practicing her photography. Most of all, she loves long walks on  the beach, which she has not been able to fully enjoy for
many years. “I went on a beach trip recently with some friends and I could go walk on the beach regularly with  no pain or soreness. Before, even standing to wash the dishes wore me out. “I would encourage others to find the thing you wish you could do, and think about what  it will be like to do that once you have no pain. For me it’s to walk along the beach, and I can do that now.”

To learn more about joint replacement at Parkwest Medical Center, visit TreatedWell.com/orthopedics/orthopedic-services/ or call 865-374-PARK (7275).

A Leader in Orthopedic Care

At Parkwest Medical Center, we strive to provide a caring atmosphere and deliver an excellent patient experience. Our pledge of excellence begins by our commitment to always put- ting our patients
first. Thousands of patients trust us each year for orthopedic surgeries, including joint replacements, fracture repairs, arthroscopies, and orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgeries. Our physicians have access to the latest technology, including robotics and advanced imaging, to help provide outstanding care to the members of our community.

The Parkwest Joint Replacement Center is a specially designed program for total knee and total hip replacement patients. Patients become a part of their medical care team by being involved in education about their
procedure, from before their surgery is scheduled to going home from the hospital. For more information about the Joint Replacement Center or a physician referral, call 865-374-PARK.

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