The First Step to Living Pain-Free

St. Peters Man Gets His Life Back with a Total Knee Replacement

Bill Dudley, 59, was a Fort Zumwalt school district elementary school teacher for more than 30 years, before retiring. Just a month of retiring two years ago, he decided to go back to work managing a shooting range near his home in St. Peters, Mo. When he wasn’t working or spending time with his family, Bill also enjoyed riding his motorcycle.

Unfortunately, Bill suffered from knee pain that just wouldn’t go away. The pain prevented him from carrying out tasks at his job and kept him from riding his motorcycle altogether. “For nearly a year, I had constant pain in my left knee that felt almost like a toothache in the joint,” says Bill. “It was like the pain was putting me in a fog.”

Bill decided it was time to see a specialist. A friend recommended he schedule an appointment with John McAllister, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Advanced Bone & Joint in St. Peters, who performs total joint replacements at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. Dr. McAllister trained at Washington University Medical School and has practiced in St. Charles County since 1989.

Bill had severe knee arthritis, something Dr. McAllister and his physician assistant Matt Pliske often see often in patients around Bill’s age. Dr. McAllister typically tries conservative methods before considering surgery, using treatments like bracing, physical therapy or medication. In Bill’s case, these non-surgical therapies were only providing temporary pain relief.

“It was time for us to try joint replacement.” says Dr. McAllister. “Old joints can reach a point where they put a patient’s life on hold. By putting in a new knee joint, we can give people like Bill some age back.”

Bill was nervous before his surgery, but Dr. McAllister and Matt took the time to answer any questions he had and ensure he knew exactly what to expect. “We always explain everything thoroughly to the patient,” says Matt. “It’s a new experience for them, and there’s a lot to know.”

Comprehensive Joint Care On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Dr. McAllister performed Bill’s procedure at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, where he performs all of his joint replacements. “It’s an excellent facility with very nice operating rooms and excellent staff. The operating assistants are first-class, as are all of the anesthesiologists and orthopedic nurses.” says Dr. McAllister. After the surgery, Bill was taken to a private patient room on the hospital floor dedicated to surgery recovery. “When I woke up, my knee pain was gone,” says Bill. “At that point, I knew I had done the right thing.”

Following a joint replacement surgery, patients are cared for by a team of BJC HealthCare physical therapists and nurses experienced in caring for orthopedic surgery patients. With this multidisciplinary team’s support, patients typically have shorter hospital stays and make significant progress quickly. If a patient has a preexisting condition, the nurses will also manage that care. “The nurses were there whenever I needed them. I’m diabetic, and they even brought me sugar free ice cream at night,” says Bill. “The therapists didn’t waste time getting me moving, helping me get my mobility back as quickly as possible.”

Bill went home on Friday, just two days after his surgery. Once returning home, joint replacement patients typically have in-home physical therapy for a few days, before transitioning to outpatient physical therapy for 6-to-8 weeks. Bill received comprehensive care from pre-surgery through physical therapy, an approach taken with every patient receiving these surgeries.

Through the combined resources of Barnes-Jewish St. Peters and Progress West Hospitals, patients in St. Charles County have access to experienced physicians who perform total and partial hip, knee and shoulder replacements, in addition to comprehensive pre-surgery and post-surgery resources and physical therapy. The hospitals’ orthopedic services also include sports therapy and spine care.

Returning to an Active Life

Less than three months after surgery, Bill is doing great, with almost full movement in his left knee. “After a total joint replacement, we typically anticipate better activity and better function,” says Dr. McAllister. “Many patients return to their active lives: hiking, biking and walking pain-free.” For Dr. McAllister and Matt, it’s rewarding to watch the recovery of their patients. “It’s why we do what we do. We love to see the patient get back to the activities they enjoy,” says Matt.

Through advanced technology and specialized surgical skills like Dr. McAllister and Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital offer, joint replacements allow patients to recover faster and with less pain than traditional methods. For these reasons, it’s not uncommon for patients to come back to have the other knee replaced. In fact, Bill is discussing the surgery for his right knee with Dr. McAllister.

Bill says he’s grateful the level of care he received at Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, which is a short drive from his home. “I wouldn’t have gone anywhere else,” says Bill. “There’s expert care available right here. Don’t put it off. Don’t suffer. Don’t waste your life waiting to get better. Get it done and take your life back. That’s what I’ve done – I’ve taken back my life.”

Learn more about total joint replacement at the BJC hospitals in St. Charles County.