Orthopedic Care | Sports Medicine | MaineHealth Mid Coast Hospital

Our joint replacement team includes world-class surgeons, specially-trained nurses and rehabilitation experts, working collaboratively to provide patient-centered care for your joints.

• Minimally-invasive procedures
• Long lasting results
• Shorter hospital stays
• Faster recovery times
• Coordinated rehabilitation and continuing care

Joint pain can be caused by a number of factors. Including:

• Osteoarthritis: A condition in which the smooth, gliding surfaces (cartilage) of your joint have become damaged which usually results in pain, stiffness and reduced flexibility
  • Osteoarthritis usually develops in older patients due to a lifetime of wear and tear on joints
• Post Traumatic Arthritis: Develops as a result of an injury, such as a fracture in a joint that does not heal properly
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: An autoimmune condition that results in joint pain and inflammation
• Osteonecrosis: A condition that can occur either spontaneously or as the result of an injury. Typical symptoms include pain, limited range of motion, and, when the leg is affected, a limp. The areas most commonly affected are the hips, knees and shoulder joints.

For arthritic joints, your doctor may prescribe physical therapy, pain medications, anti-inflammatory medications, or injections into the joint. If these treatments reduce or completely alleviate your pain, your doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery.

We offer coordinated orthopedic treatment including on-site X-ray and physical therapy to help you overcome sports injuries and expedite your return to the activities you love. Conditions commonly treated include:

• Broken bones, sprains and strains
• Rotator cuff and shoulder injuries
• Knee and ligament tears (ACL, meniscus)
• Repetitive strains (tennis elbow, carpal tunnel)
• Regular and persistent pain

Foot and ankle pain can really limit your lifestyle. We offer expert foot and ankle care, close to home.

• Fractures, dislocations and sprains
• Stress fractures
• Ankle replacement and foot reconstruction
• Sports injuries
• Achilles tendonitis
• Chronic ankle instability
• Foot deformities

Wrist and hand pain can make it difficult to perform daily tasks. Our team of hand specialists offers expert evaluation and treatment for a variety of hand conditions such as:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Fracture and sprains
• Dupuytren's contracture
• Arthritis and pain
• Tendon and nerve injuries
• Trigger finger

Our doctors and hospital team have been replacing joints for decades–experience that can result in better patient outcomes. Your joint replacement team will work with you before, during and after surgery to help you heal quickly and recover successfully. It is important to tell your surgeon about any health problems or medical conditions that you may have prior to your surgery. This will help to identify and limit possible complications.

• Infection: We take several measures to reduce our patients' chances of infection, including:
  • IV antibiotics before and after surgery
  • The surgical area is cleaned with a special sponge and antimicrobial soap before patients come into the hospital. This process is repeated in the operating room just before surgery begins.
  • Our care team is trained to maintain the highest standards of sterile techniques, helping to keep our patients healthy and our infection rates low.
• Onsite rehabilitation: Following surgery, orthopedic patients recuperate in a private hospital room with ready access to the inpatient physical therapy & rehabilitation services.
• Blood clots: We use the following measures to reduce the possibility of blood clots:
  • Blood thinning medications (anticoagulants)
  • Elastic stockings
  • Exercises to increase blood flow in the leg muscles
  • Plastic boots that inflate with air to compress the muscles in your legs improving blood flow.