A Second Chance At Life Thanks To Robotic-Assisted Surgery
St. Mary's Medical Center is a state-of-the-art facility that provides patients access to leading technology and robotic surgery. Despite serving a more rural area, our patients have access to world-class care with top-of-the-line physicians and technology that you'd expect to find in a larger metropolitan city.
Grand Junction resident Julie Hager experienced this care firsthand. Her journey began in 2015 when she started experiencing difficulties walking. After waking up one morning in tremendous pain and barely able to use her legs, she sought emergency care. Julie was told both her hips were shot, and she needed surgery.
Part of Julie's struggle was a battle with her weight. She had tried to lose weight for years; however, she had been using a walker for five years, could hardly use her legs or climb stairs, and had to have assistance doing everything. The doctors told her she needed to lose a certain amount before she could have hip surgery, but it was nearly impossible to do since she could barely walk.
In February 2020, Julie had bariatric surgery and lost 70 pounds. That's when she decided to see Dr. Jordan McCoy, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Mary's Medical Center. Dr. McCoy is a fellowship trained physician in adult reconstruction and specializes in hip and knee replacement. Julie had her first total joint hip replacement within a few months.
"My first surgery was the week of Christmas, and I couldn't have received a better gift," said Julie. "I went home the same day as my surgery, and my recovery went extremely well."
Julie's second hip replacement was in February 2021. Her second oldest son was having a destination wedding in Costa Rica that spring, and her main goal was to attend without using a walker. "He wanted me to walk him down the aisle and to do a mother/son dance, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to," she said.
"We had a pretty lofty goal in mind from going to the point where she was almost wheelchair bound to being able to go to her son's wedding and walk him down the aisle in a very short timeframe," said Dr. McCoy. "But I told her I thought we could do it, so we went for it."
Julie's son got married six weeks after her second surgery, and Julie not only walked him down the aisle and did the mother/son dance but did so without the assistance of a cane or walker.
Dr. McCoy performed Julie's surgery with the assistance of a MAKO robot. MAKO is one of the only robotics systems that utilizes a CT scan instead of just X-rays for hips and knees. Doctors use data from the scan to create a very detailed 3D model and image of the patient's anatomy.
"The scan is more detailed than anything else," said Dr. McCoy. "The accuracy is unmatched, and the preoperative planning ability with the MAKO is second to none. It allows us to plan the surgery for each patient to get the perfectly sized components and position. The surgeon controls the robotic arm, and it's so precise that it causes minimal damage to the surrounding tissues and avoids cutting any muscles around the hip."
The result is fewer complications and dislocation, less post-surgical pain, and quicker recovery. "I was completely blown away by how small my incisions were," said Julie. "The whole thing was amazing. I haven't had any problems since the surgeries. I had been sleeping in a recliner for years, and it felt so great to lay flat and sleep in my own bed at night."
Julie, now 60 years old, hasn't used her cane in months, and her life has improved dramatically since the surgery. She rides her bike, does water aerobics and bowls, and plays with her three grandchildren, all under 10.
"It meant so much to be able to get out and play with them," said Julie. "I'm able to get around on my own and tie my own shoes. I'm doing things I haven't been able to do for years. It's the smallest of things that are a big deal to me now. People take those things for granted, and I'm thankful to have my mobility and life back."
Dr. McCoy had extensive robotics training in his fellowship before coming to St. Mary's a year ago. He was the hospital's first orthopedic surgeon to perform such surgeries and was instrumental in providing input to the hospital on which robotic system was the best.
St. Mary's is the only hospital in Grand Junction that offers this type of robotics surgery, and so far, more than 400 surgeries have been performed with the MAKO. Almost every one of our primary total joint patients has gone home the same day.
"It's important for patients to know that we're implementing technologies that continue to improve recovery time and outcomes using every tool we have available to ensure their surgeries go as smoothly as possible," Dr. McCoy explained. "We have the training and knowledge to use everything out there to give our patients the absolute best care. There's nothing that total joint centers have to offer that St. Mary's doesn't. Our total joint program is second to none, and I would put it up against anywhere in the country."
"The staff at St. Mary's is remarkable, and Dr. McCoy was caring, encouraging, and enthusiastic," Julie said. "I wasn't sure about the robotics program at first because I didn't know much about it, but after we started working with Dr. McCoy, my mind was completely at ease. There's nowhere else I'd want to go for a surgery of this magnitude."
What are the benefits of robotic surgery?
Robotic surgery, compared to traditional surgery, has many benefits. Every patient is different, but recipients often report less pain and faster healing. Other expected benefits include a lower risk of infection, shorter hospital stays, and less blood loss.
Patients can experience these benefits at many Intermountain Healthcare locations in Colorado and Montana. Good Samaritan Medical Center in Colorado has received accreditation from the Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery. This means the program met international standards in providing the highest quality robotic surgical care.
Learn more about Intermountain Healthcare's robotic surgery capabilities here.