A local center with a global reputation.
Consistently ranking in the Top 1% Nationally in Patient Satisfaction, The Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital offers comprehensive care for people undergoing joint replacement surgery. Since opening in October 2005, patients have come to our Joint Center from throughout the state, region and as far away as Florida and Germany. Our team of renowned surgeons and clinicians have successfully enabled thousands of patients to resume an active lifestyle and improve their overall quality of life.
Your care at the Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital begins as soon as you and your physician decide that joint replacement is the best option for you. From our pre-operative patient and family education program to your post operative physical therapy, the staff at the Connecticut Joint Center makes your care and recovery their first priority.
Visiting Hours and Phone Number
Visiting Hours are 11:00am – 8:00pm Daily
Special arrangements may be made by contacting the unit.
Connecticut Joint Center Main Phone Number: 203.876.4503
Physician Referral Number: 203.876.4500
State of the Art Facilities and Patient Centered Care
The Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital is a state of the art, sophisticated, private unit dedicated exclusively to the post operative care of patients who have undergone total hip, knee or shoulder replacement surgery. The recently expanded unit houses eleven private and spacious rooms with attached baths, specially designed reclining chairs and plasma televisions.
Typically joint replacement patients can expect a 3 to 4 day post-operative stay in our facility. During that time patients at the Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital, can expect personalized care that includes:
- Pre-operative Joint Replacement Education
- Nurses who specialize in the care and monitoring of joint-replacement patients
- Physical therapy, twice a day, to mobilize you and your new joint, progressing from getting out of bed to climbing stairs
- An occupational therapist to assist with returning to your normal daily activities
- Daily meeting with Social Services / Case Management to document progress and assist with planning for your discharge to home or an aftercare facility
- Special gourmet luncheon on your second day after surgery
Infection Free Invironment
Patient safety is our top priority. Our goal is to maintain a 100% infection free environment. Patients are screened prior to admission for eligibility as a patient to our unit. Prospective patients with a history of nosocomial infections, such as MRSA, would not be admitted to the Joint Center, but would spend their post-operative stay in one of our Acute Care / Medical / Surgical units.
Pre-Operative Joint Replacement Class
Education is a key component of the Connecticut Center at Milford Hospital. Teaching individuals undergoing joint replacement surgery what to expect during and after their hospitalization can have an important impact on their recovery.
Pre operative Joint Replacement Classes are offered twice a month. The class is open to patients and their family and will offer the opportunity to meet with the many disciplines that will be involved with their daily care while they are in the hospital including a Registered Nurses, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Dietician and Discharge Planner.
During the 2-hour class, you will receive information about:
- Pre-operative testing
- The surgical procedure
- Anesthesia options
- Our private Joint Replacement Center patient rooms
- Factors that determine your length of stay in the hospital after surgery
- Average recovery period to resume normal activity
- The role of the nursing and rehabilitation staff in your recovery
- Care you'll receive before, during and after surgery
- How we help control and manage pain throughout the process
- Making arrangements for leaving the hospital
Patients are given the chance to ask questions of our staff in hopes of decreasing any anxiety the patient may be experiencing about their surgery.
Class scheduling
- Classes are held the first and third Monday of each month, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m
- To register, call 203.876.4503
- Family and caregiver participation is strongly encouraged
- The class is complimentary
- Light refreshments are served
Joint Replacement Services
Modern joint replacement surgery involves removal of the worn cartilage from both sides of the joint, followed by resurfacing of the joint with a metal and / or plastic replacement implant that looks and functions much like your normal joint. Although nearly every joint in the body can be replaced, most replacement surgeries involve the hip or knee. Over the last 30 years, improved surgical techniques and new implant materials have been developed, making total joint replacement one of the most reliable and durable procedures in any area of medicine.
The Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital offers our patients enhanced services and treatment options. Our board-certified orthopaedic surgeons are experts in the latest minimally invasive techniques and computer guided surgery, so patients benefit from fewer side effects, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery and long term effectiveness.
Knee Replacement
The goals of knee replacement surgery are to relieve pain, increase mobility and improve or restore normal joint function. During knee replacement surgery, diseased or damaged parts of the thighbone, shinbone and kneecap are removed and replaced with artificial implants.
In order to understand what a total knee replacement is, it is important to understand how a healthy knee works. The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is classified as a hinge joint and works very much like a common hinge. Your knee is made up of three bones: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (lower leg bone), and the patella (knee cap). Your knee joint connects the femur to the tibia, and on top of this rests the patella. The patella protects the knee joint and slides in a groove found in your femur when you bend your knee. The muscles around the knee are responsible for supporting and moving your knee.
As a result of years of working, arthritis or trauma, a knee can become painful and less functional. Spurs (small pieces of bone) may deposit in the knee and arthritis may wear away the protective lining between the bones causing a painful condition.
Conditions that can lead to an unhealthy or painful knee include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic disease affecting primarily the lining of the joint resulting in destruction and deformity
- Osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease affecting the surfaces of weight bearing joints. Although the exact cause is unknown, it is believed to be caused by abnormal wear and tear to the joint surfaces. Other factors that may contribute to osteoarthritis include age, sex, heredity and obesity
- Trauma or injury
If other treatment options fail to relieve your symptoms, you and your orthopaedic surgeon may make the decision to have your knee replaced with an artificial joint.
Knee replacement may be total or partial. Minimally invasive techniques can reduce blood loss during surgery, lessen pain following surgery, shorten hospital stays and reduce recovery time. However, these procedures are not right for every patient. Your surgeon based on your joint problem and condition will determine the specific surgical technique and type of incision.
Hip Replacement
The goals of hip replacement surgery are to relieve pain, increase mobility and improve or restore normal joint functions. During hip replacement surgery, diseased or damaged parts of the hip joint are removed and replaced with artificial implants.
In order to understand what a total hip replacement is, it is important to understand how a healthy hip works. The hip is a ball and socket joint. The "ball" is at the top of your femur (thigh bone) and the "socket" is at the bottom of your pelvis. There is cartilage that covers the head of the femur. This allows the ball to move freely and smoothly in the socket. With the help of the muscles surrounding the hip, you are able to walk easily and pain free.
An unhealthy or painful hip usually results from a wearing away of the cartilage.
Without the cartilage present, there is no protection between the bony surfaces of the ball and socket. These two bony surfaces become rough and begin grinding against each other. This causes pain that results in stiffness and discomfort during movement.
Conditions that can lead to an unhealthy or painful hip include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic disease affecting primarily the lining of the joint resulting in destruction and deformity.
- Osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease affecting the surfaces of weight bearing joints. Although the exact cause is unknown, it is believed to be caused by abnormal wear and tear to the joint surfaces. Other factors that may contribute to osteoarthritis include age, sex, heredity and obesity
- Other causes of hip degeneration include previous hip injury, metabolic bone disease, and abnormalities of growth.
If your surgeon recommends a total hip replacement, he or she will choose the best surgical option and artificial hip (prosthesis) for you. Minimally invasive techniques can reduce blood loss during surgery, lessen pain following surgery, shorten hospital stays and reduce recovery time. However, these procedures are not right for every patient. Your surgeon based on your joint problem and condition will determine the specific surgical technique and type of incision.
Ask your surgeon if you have specific questions about your surgery or the types of implants available to replace your hip. The artificial hip will act almost like a healthy hip and should allow for walking with ease and without pain.
Shoulder Replacement
Many people know someone with an artificial knee or hip joint. Shoulder replacement is less common. The goals of shoulder replacement surgery are to relieve pain, increase mobility and improve or restore normal joint functions. During shoulder replacement surgery, diseased or damaged parts of the shoulder joint are removed and replaced with artificial implants.
In order to understand what a shoulder replacement is, it is important to understand how a healthy shoulder works. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that enables you to raise, twist and bend your arm. It also lets you move your arm forward, to the side and behind you. In a normal shoulder, the rounded end of the upper arm bone (head of the humerus) glides against the small dish-like socket (glenoid) in the shoulder blade (scapula). These joint surfaces are normally covered with smooth cartilage. They allow the shoulder to rotate through a greater range of motion than any other joint in the body. The surrounding muscles and tendons provide stability and support.
Shoulder replacement surgery has been practiced in the United States since the 1950s. Over the years, this surgery has come to be used for many other painful conditions of the shoulder. These including:
- Osteoarthritis: a degenerative joint disease affecting the surfaces of weight bearing joints. Although the exact cause is unknown, it is believed to be caused by abnormal wear and tear to the joint surfaces. Other factors that may contribute to osteoarthritis include age, sex, heredity and obesity
- Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic disease affecting primarily the lining of the joint resulting in destruction and deformity.
- Trauma or injury
- Rotator cuff tear arthropathy: a combination of severe arthritis and a massive non-reparable rotator cuff tendon tear)
Total shoulder replacement surgery alleviates pain by replacing the damaged bone and cartilage with a metal and plastic implant. When shoulder replacement surgery is performed, the ball is removed from the top of the humerus and replaced with a metal implant. This is shaped like a half-moon and attached to a stem inserted down the center of the arm bone. The socket portion of the joint is shaved clean and replaced with a plastic socket that is cemented into the scapula.
Our Orthopaedic Physicians
The expert, board certified orthopaedic surgeons practicing at the Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital perform hundreds of joint replacement surgeries each year utilizing our state of the art facilities and up-to-date technology. Our patients benefit from minimally invasive and computer assisted surgical procedures and the use of durable materials and new implant technology allowing for faster recovery and long-term effectiveness.
Our Experts in Orthopaedic Surgery include:
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Richard S. Blum, MD
John F. Irving, MD
Amit Lahav, MD
Christopher B. Lynch, MD
Alan M. Reznik, MD |
Aaron Schachter, MD
Tedd L. Weisman, MD
Shirvinda Wijesekera, MD
Richard Zell, MD |
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Physical and Occupational Therapy are part of our patient's recovery plan at the Connecticut Joint Center at Milford Hospital. Following joint replacement surgery, physical and occupational therapy sessions are conducted on-site, twice per day in order to promote healing, increase range of motion and return to daily activities.
Our skillful physical and occupational therapists know the unique challenges of recovery following joint replacement surgery. They work with patients so they are safe, comfortable and confident in reaching their recovery goals.
- A physical therapist can help with exercises to strengthen the muscles around the joint and work on regaining motion in the new joint.
- An occupational therapist will work on safely mastering the motions necessary to live independently, such as bending and lifting.
Depending on each patients unique situation, our entire staff will determine whether the patient can be safely discharged to their home or if they require a short term stay in a rehabilitation center.
Links and Resources
- In the Media: Milford Doctor Is First in State to Offer Thumb Joint Replacement Therapy -Â Connecticut Post, May 8, 2010
- Press Release: New Technology in Total Hip Replacements Performed at Milford Hospital
- Press Release: Milford Native and Local Surgeon Named Top Doc for Seventh Time
- Resource: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Resource: Answer Your Medical Questions with UpToDate