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Ask an expert
Q
I’m supposed to
have minor surgery
before the end of the
year, and my doctor said
I’d have to be tested for
sleep apnea first. Can
you tell me why?
Q
On average, how
long is a patient
in the hospital after hip
replacement surgery?
How soon afterward can
a patient drive and walk?
Q
I’ve been
wondering if
weight-loss surgery
might be right for me,
but I heard people older
than 65 aren’t eligible. Is
that true?
A
People over 65 have
traditionally not been
considered good candidates for
bariatric surgery due to data
placing older patients at higher
risk for complications. But
advanced surgical approaches,
including laparoscopic and
robotic-assisted techniques, have
made bariatric surgery safer for
more patients.
Recent studies have shown that
carefully selected older patients
face the same amount of risk as
their younger counterparts. We
have begun offering consults to
patients over 65 whose primary
care providers feel they might
benefit from bariatric surgery. In
some cases, the health risks of
obesity may outweigh the risks of
weight-loss surgery.
A
The joint replacement
program at Sacred
Heart Medical Center recently
underwent a complete redesign
to adopt a wellness model of
care that gets many knee and hip
replacement patients back on
their feet faster than traditional
programs. The typical hospital
stay is three days, but some of our
recent hip replacement patients
have left two days—and in some
cases one day—after surgery.
In the Back on Track program,
patients begin to walk in the
hospital and continue to improve
over several months with the use
of a walker or cane. Driving is
usually possible after three to four
weeks, depending on the type of
surgery.
A
Sleep apnea can lead to
complications during
and after surgery, but many
people don’t know they have the
condition.
Sacred Heart Medical Center
requires most surgery patients
to be screened for the condition
with a questionnaire. People
who answer yes to three or more
questions may be referred to a
sleep doctor for a consultation.
A recent study found that
patients with higher scores
experienced more postoperative
complications than those with
lower scores. We want to keep you
safe, and making sure your sleep
apnea is diagnosed and under
control before surgery helps us
do that.
Stephen Aufderheide, MD
Medical Director
Anesthesia Department
Sacred Heart Medical Center
3333 RiverBend Drive
Springfield, OR 97477
541-222-3154
Brian Jewett, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon
Medical Director, Joint
Replacement Program
Sacred Heart Medical Center
3333 RiverBend Drive
Springfield, OR 97477
541-868-0881
Jessica Folek, MD
General and Bariatric Surgeon
Oregon Bariatric Center
Sacred Heart Medical Center
3377 RiverBend Drive
Springfield, OR 97477
541-222-2700
SLEEP APNEA
WEIGHT LOSS
HIP REPLACEMENT
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Health Connection