Missions in Moscow, Tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka and perilous journeys
to gang-infested communities in Mexico are just a few Christian ministry
experiences that prove Paul Varnedoe is a man of determination. Prior
to his retirement, Varnedoe’s time in the U.S. Navy, a sales career
and his most important roles as a husband and father also kept him steadily
on the move. Most recently, Varnedoe ventured with his son on a motorcycle
trip to the mountains of North Carolina. Varnedoe explains, “I like
to climb the highest ladder and fly down the largest zipline!”
Unfortunately, the knee pain Varnedoe first experienced decades ago began
to worsen with each new adventure. He soon realized he was dealing with
osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease that mirrors his own determined
nature and the most common cause of knee pain. According to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 32.5 million adults
in the U.S. suffer pain caused by osteoarthritis. Over time, aches often
turn to agony with continuous damage or breakdown of cartilage between
the bones.
Taking action
After Varnedoe began experiencing significant discomfort during everyday
activities like climbing stairs and working in his garden, he decided
it was time to take action. Varnedoe scheduled an appointment at
Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery with
Denny A. Carter, M.D., board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and the Southeast Georgia Health
System Brunswick Campus Chief of Staff.
Carter had already been seeing Varnedoe as a patient for about four years
prior to his surgery. “We like to begin with the least invasive
and least aggressive treatments,” says Carter. Those more conservative
treatment options can include things like weight loss, physical therapy,
anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections and gel injections.
Varnedoe appreciated that he never felt rushed toward knee replacement
by Carter and trusted him fully to finally operate. In December 2020,
he confidently told Carter, “To heck with this. Let’s go ahead
and get this done!”
Varnedoe speaks highly of his entire experience with Carter and every team
member he encountered at Southeast Georgia Health System. “I felt
well-informed and comfortable every step of the way,” he states.
Carter agrees that a successful operation requires the work of trusted
team members, adding, “Everyone is important. From the nurses in
my office to the pre- and post-surgical teams, including physical therapy
and non-clinical staff. They all play a vital role in the success of a
patient’s recovery.” Besides a reliable team of medical professionals,
something less traditional instilled some extra confidence in Varnedoe.
Providing accuracy with robotic technology
Since 2018, Health System orthopaedic surgeons have been relying on
Mako® Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery to ensure incredible accuracy, as well as, significantly improve outcomes
for hundreds of total knee replacement patients each year. Here’s
how it works:
- Physicians make a 3D computer model of the patient’s unique knee
anatomy to create a personalized surgical plan.
- With the highly advanced, physician-controlled robotic system’s real-time
feedback, surgeons resurface the knee, leaving healthy bone and tissue
untouched and removing only diseased bone.
- An implant is aligned and placed in the joint with reproducible precision,
which can result in a more natural feeling knee.
Carter emphasizes that the surgeon is still very much in charge of the
operation and not the Mako technology itself. He explains, “The
Mako system allows us to perform knee and hip replacements precisely and
accurately.”
While this innovative technology may improve outcomes, successful recovery
depends on the patient and their commitment to postoperative physical
therapy. Carter adds, “The surgery itself takes a little more than
an hour, but the majority of time is spent in the recovery and physical
rehabilitation phase. Rehab is initially challenging but typically improves
rapidly over time.” Varnedoe agrees with the importance of following
through with prescribed physical therapy and shared that his knee replacement
now feels great. In fact, the operation was such a success that he already
has a total knee replacement surgery scheduled for his other knee. Once
his May 2021 operation is complete, Varnedoe will have double the knee
replacement and double the adventure ahead of him. His son and daughter-in-law
are expecting twin boys this summer! There will be no slowing down for
this gallant grandpa-to-be who unsurprisingly declared “This is
going to be fun!”
A strategic affiliate of Southeast Georgia Health System, Summit Sports
Medicine & Orthopaedic Surgery has offices in Brunswick, St. Simons
Island and St. Marys. For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call 912-466-7340 or visit
sghs.org/summit.