using their walking aids , have started driving , and are returning to part-time work . At six weeks , they are usually back to full-time work , and are able to travel , play a full round of golf , or enjoy other regular activities . That ’ s about half the time it took in the past . It ’ s really a dramatically improved quality of life ,” he says .
Dr . Schultz believes that patient education is a key part of the DAA hip replacement surgery .
Patients are excited about the results , too . “ One of the things we strive for and are able to achieve is for our patients to go home soon after their surgeries ,” says Dr . Schultz . “ For the 1,200 or so patients we ’ ve served in the last decade using this method , the average hospital stay is about a day and a half . In the last two years , we ’ ve had about 100 patients go home the same day .”
“ It ’ s very common now that patients come in for their two week follow-up and they ’ ve already stopped
A better option to meet more patients ’ needs Jacquelyn Hejl , of McGregor , was dreading hip replacement surgery . A former operating room nurse , she ’ d seen patients who had experienced the surgery in the past so she knew that it could involve considerable postoperative pain and recovery time . “ I was expecting a lot of pain , a lot of sickness , and a lot of healing ,” she says .
Yet , she sailed through what turned out to be a same-day procedure with Dr . Schultz ’ s DAA method . “ I was amazed at how smoothly it went , how easy it was , and that it was almost painfree ,” she says . “ I had muscle soreness and that ’ s all .” Ms . Hejl , 56 , had a positive experience largely because of Dr . Schultz ’ s expertise .
Each year about 375,000 Americans undergo hip replacement surgery , according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons . “ The number of total joint replacements is expected to increase 600 percent in the next 20 years ,” Dr . Schultz says . “ And , as the number of surgeons doing the DAA procedure increases , the number of patients realizing its benefits should go
26 THE CATALYST Fall 16 | sw . org