Joint & Spine Care

At Longmont United Hospital, everything we do is geared toward your successful recovery and restoring your quality of life. When you choose Longmont United Hospital, you are choosing so much more than a procedure. You are choosing a carefully designed program that begins weeks before your surgery and continues long after your hospital stay. Our program includes:

• Advanced Technology – Longmont’s orthopedic program offers the latest joint implants, devices techniques, and state-of-the-art operating suites.
• National Recognition – Longmont has earned the coveted Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for orthopedic care as well as an Excellent rating for our participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program.
• Nurse Navigation – Longmont’s commitment to orthopedics includes an orthopedic nurse navigator who works closely with the surgeons in the joint replacement program and will guide you through your orthopedic care before, during and after surgery.
• Patient Education – We have created a special Total Joint Class and guide book for patients scheduled for joint surgery. The class prepares patients and their designated coach for the surgical experience and teaches them strategies to maximize their rate of recovery.
• Pre-Admission Testing and Risk Assessment – We believe the patient is an important member of the health care team. Your preparation and participation in your care will shape your experience. This is why we ask patients to sign a patient agreement and complete a risk assessment, attend a pre-admission testing visit and attend our Total Joint Class. These steps allow us to identify issues, eliminate unnecessary medical care, and make arrangements for care and equipment that may be needed after surgery.
• Experienced Nurses – Our team includes nurses who are specialty trained in orthopedics and certified by the National Association of Orthopedic Nurses, a highly trained team of pre-and post-operative nurses, and skilled operating room technicians and nurses.
• Pain Control – Our orthopedic surgeons work closely with our anesthesiologists to provide advanced pain management techniques such as nerve blocks, injections, oral medications and anesthesia (spinal and general) to reduce complications and accelerate healing.
• Healing and Mobility – We believe in getting you up and moving on the path to recovery as soon as possible. Our highly trained physical and occupational therapists will visit you shortly after surgery to evaluate you and determine a program for exercise, safety and mobility.
• A Healing Environment – As one of only two hospitals in Colorado designated as a Planetree hospital - an innovative model of health care that puts patients' needs first - we foster a culture of wellness. Spacious private rooms are designed to accommodate orthopedic patients' specific needs and include a private bathroom as well as a fold-out couch if a family member chooses to stay. The unit also includes a beautiful family kitchen, sitting room and Wifi to keep you connected.
• Nourishment for Your Recovery – Longmont’s culinary and nutrition teams work together to provide patients with custom-made meals to order. Culturally diverse meals are also offered upon request.

Longmont’s orthopedic program is designed to give you every opportunity to achieve wellness. Every aspect of your care, from anesthesia to postoperative exercise, will be carefully planned and coordinated to ensure the best possible outcome.

What to Expect During Your Hospital Stay

• Anesthesia – You will meet with your anesthesiologist before your surgery to finalize your anesthesia plans and ask any additional questions. All of the anesthesiologists at Longmont United Hospital are board certified by the American Board of Anesthesia and are experienced anesthesia providers.
• Multi-Modal Pain Control – Upon arrival to Day Surgery, after your IV has been placed, you will be given a combination of three medications as part of a multi-modal pain control protocol. This combination has been show to optimize pain relief. After an interview with your surgeon, anesthesiologist and operating room nurse, you will be given some light sedation.
• Injection – Knee and shoulder replacement patients will also receive an injection of anesthesia specific to their surgery site to decrease sensation and minimize pain for 24 hours.
• Operating Room – Patients will then be taken to the operating room and given spinal anesthesia. The spinal anesthetic will produce numbness from the waist down that will last through the surgery and up to two hours past the surgery.
• Family – When you leave the day surgery area for the operating room, your family/friends will be directed to the surgery waiting area. This is where your surgeon will come and speak with them following your surgery. The operating room nurse will provide updates for your family if your procedure is lengthy.
• Sedation – After placement of the spinal anesthetic, you will receive sedation, depending on your anesthesiologist’s recommendation and your preference.
• Surgery – Your procedure will take approximately two to three hours.
• Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) – You will be moved to the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) after surgery where you will be monitored closely until your anesthesia begins to wear off, your body temperature is stable, and your oxygen needs are acceptable. The average time spent in the PACU is 1 ½ hours.
• Your Room – You will be transported to your room once you are stable. You may start drinking clear liquids and resume a regular diet as tolerated.
• Therapy – A physical therapist will evaluate you and help you progress to walking with assistance. You will be taught to use of equipment you will use. An occupational therapist will review any needs you may have related to personal care.
• Discharge Home – When you have met your goals, you will be released from the hospital to continue your recovery at home. Upon discharge, you will be given written instructions concerning medications, physical therapy, activity, wound care, and follow-up appointments. As part of our personalized approach, you will have continued access to the orthopedic nurse navigator.

Our program offers both comprehensive spine surgery and the latest non-surgical options for back pain. We can surgically treat nearly any condition, from herniated discs and spinal stenosis to osteoarthritis and spondylolisthesis.

• A Leader in Spine Care – Longmont United Hospital’s spine care specialists are at the forefront of spine care and are regarded as world-class physicians. They’ve pioneered new techniques and published research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Advanced Surgical Options – Our surgeons perform all types of spinal surgery procedures from minimally invasive to complex spinal reconstruction and are regarded as leaders in the field of minimally invasive spine surgery and artificial disc replacement procedures.
• Individualized Care – Every patient is different. This is why our spine specialists will work with you to select the best course of treatment to manage and treat your back pain. They will help you choose the best approach for your lifestyle and goals after a thorough consultation. We'll work together to alleviate your pain and get you back to your normal routine as quickly as possible
• Conservative Approach to Care – When possible, our spine specialists will exhaust every appropriate treatment option before considering surgery. This might include medications, pain management, injections, and physical therapy. If conservative treatments are not effective, surgery will then be considered.
• Minimally Invasive Spine Procedures – We use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, with a goal of getting you back to the activities you enjoy as soon as possible. Minimally invasive spine surgery involves smaller incisions, less muscle damage, decreased blood loss and shorter length of hospital stay following surgery.
• Patient Education – We have created a special Total Spine Class and guide book for patients scheduled for spine surgery. The class prepares patients and their designated coach for the surgical experience and teaches them strategies to maximize their rate of recovery.

• Anesthesia – On the day of surgery you will meet your anesthesiologist and your nurse anesthetist prior to surgery. At that time, he/she will answer any additional questions and finalize your anesthesia plan. All anesthesia providers at Longmont United Hospital are board certified and experienced anesthesia providers.
• Multi-Modal Pain Control – Upon arrival to day surgery, an IV will be placed and you will be given a combination of medications to begin a multi-modal pain control protocol that we provide for all spine patients. After an interview with your surgeon, anesthesia provider(s) and operating room nurse, you will be given the option of light sedation. You will then be transported to the operating room where you will be given general anesthesia.
• Operating Room – When you leave the day surgery area for the operating room, your family/friends will be directed to the surgery waiting area. This is where your surgeon will come and speak with them following your surgery. The operating room nurse will provide updates for your family if your procedure is lengthy.
• Sedation and Pain Control – Your general anesthesia will include a combination of medications that are designed to work together to minimize the use of narcotics and sedation and minimize pain postoperatively.
• Surgery – The length of your procedure will be dependent on what type of spine surgery you are having. Ask your spine surgeon about the length of your surgery.
• Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) – When your surgery is finished, you will be taken to the PACU. You will spend as much time here as needed to make sure your vital signs are stable and your anesthesia has worn off. Your anesthesiologist and your surgeon will visit with you in the PACU although you may not remember this. They will assess that you are safe to move to the next level of care, either to your inpatient room or to return to the Day Surgery Area.
• Therapy – A physical therapist will evaluate you and help you progress to walking with assistance. You will be taught to use of equipment you will use. An occupational therapist will review any needs you may have related to personal care.
• Pain Management – Pain is a normal part of spine surgery. Our goal is to work with you to develop a pain management plan that effectively controls your pain while minimizing the potential side effects. In addition to medications, we offer a variety of comfort measures such as heat, ice, pillows, aromatherapy and relaxation techniques.