DRAPER, Utah – Ed Kilbourn, a Salt Lake City resident and avid skier, cyclist and hiker, has always been athletic. He loves it all. Two years ago, however, he wasn’t skiing the way he had for decades before. Kilbourn’s knee pain got to a point he could no longer ignore it. Kilbourn visited his doctor who said his left knee was “bone on bone” and told Kilbourn it was time… he needed a replacement.
On Sept. 20, 2023, Kilbourn – who was 53 years old at the time – went in for a partial knee replacement with Dr. Spencer Amundsen with Peak Orthopaedics, a clinic located on the campus of Lone Peak Hospital in Draper. The facility is one of eight MountainStar Healthcare hospitals in Utah.
“I am passionate about being active and wanted a better, more physical quality of life,” Kilbourn said. “It’s been a year since the surgery and I feel great!”
Dr. Spencer Amundsen graduated from the University of Utah School of Medicine before finishing his orthopedic training at three Ivy League universities, including: Dartmouth, Harvard and Cornell – the top ranked hospital in the country for orthopedics.
“There is an alternative to total knee Arthroplasty which many people don’t know about. It is easier and faster to recover from, and far less painful. There is a higher patient satisfaction rate, it is higher performance with more people returning to sports activities, and it feels more natural,” explained Dr. Amundsen, a fellowship-trained and board-certified orthopedic surgeon.
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Dr. Amundsen specializes in total joint replacement including adult reconstruction of the hip and knee. He is also certified in robotic hip and knee surgery. Dr. Amundsen joined FOX13’s The PLACE on Thursday, alongside his patient, to discuss partial knee replacement surgery offered at the Draper facility and how it compares to a total replacement.
“A knee replacement consists of making an incision to expose the joint, removing the arthritic bone, and replacing it with a combination of metal, plastic, and ceramic,” Dr. Amundsen said. “Sometimes, it’s the best way to restore your joint health.”
For patients who meet eligibility criteria for a partial knee replacement, there are several key advantages compared to a total knee replacement. They include, but are not limited to:
· Less invasive surgery
· Reduced pain due to a minimized surgery
· Decreased blood loss
· Faster recovery & return to work and play
Partial knee replacements are only indicated when 1/3 of the knee is worn out, and the other 2/3 look good. If more than 1/3 of the knee is worn out, a partial knee replacement may not be possible.
Dr. Amundsen says it is important that patients have a clear understanding of what will happen during and after any surgery, including any kind of joint replacement. He wants the patient to be comfortable.
“I think that starts by making sure that you feel like you have all the information you need about your diagnosis and your treatment, and then talking to you about what we need to do to have you ready for surgery,” Dr. Amundsen said. “At the end, we close up the skin with dissolvable stitches, some glue, and a waterproof dressing.”
The typical operation could take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the complexity of the procedure.
“The majority of people now can go home from a joint replacement the same day they have it done. We get people up and walking within hours of surgery, whether it's a hip replacement, a knee replacement, or a partial knee replacement,” Dr. Amundsen continued. “That translates forward into faster recovery at every level.”
This was the case for Kilbourn, as well.
He continued, “A big selling point for me choosing partial versus total knee replacement was considering that I wanted all my ligaments and tendons to be intact. That was important to me. It steered me in the direction of a partial replacement because it just feels so much more natural! I didn’t want my knee and leg to feel clunky.”
Recovering From A Partial Knee Replacement
“Within minutes after I’d come to, awake in the recovery room, I was walking in the hospital with a walker,” Kilbourn explained. “I was already on my feet, right after! That was one of the things Dr. Amundsen stressed – that you’ll be right back at it!”
He understood it all to be part of a successful surgery and recovery.
Further, hospital physical therapists create a personalized therapy regimen for patients to help them in using the affected knee. The goal is to help patients get moving to promote a quick and healthy recovery process.
Kilbourn went home the day of his surgery and drove himself to get a handicap pass for his vehicle just days later.
“I was in physical therapy the next week, was pedaling on a stationary bike within a couple of weeks, and by the end of October, I was back on my bike! My first outside ride was on Halloween – October 31 – just about 5 to 6 weeks post-operation,” Kilbourn said.
The now 54-year-old says his first time back on the slopes after surgery will be this winter and he’s excited for the season.
“Don’t worry, I’ll ease back into it!”
For anyone concerned with pain control associated with joint replacement surgery, Dr. Amundsen says do not allow this concern to delay visiting the clinic.
“The good news is that there are a lot of newer strategies to deal with pain control beyond just taking narcotics,” Dr. Amundsen said. “These include multimodal pain control, which includes a variety of different medications that can be taken, as well as procedures that can either be done before or after joint replacement to minimize the amount of pain that someone feels.”
Further, Dr. Amundsen said, “My goal is to work with the patient throughout the postoperative period to make sure that their pain is well managed. If something's not working well, we can change it. We can modify it. But, our strategy needs to be a tolerable level of pain so they can successfully work with physical therapy.”
Knee specialists like Dr. Amundsen provide their patients with postoperative care instructions. It is important that the doctor's guidelines and instructions are adhered to.
Services Offered at Peak Orthopaedics
Each physician – skilled orthopedic surgeons and sports medicine specialists, alike – at the Peak Orthopaedic Clinic has been trained in their specific area of joint care. All physicians at the clinic have more than 10 years of experience treating patients in and around West Jordan, South Jordan, Herriman, Sandy and Draper.
Every service includes individualized care plans with both surgical and nonsurgical joint care options for every area of the body, including:
· Foot and ankle surgery
· Hand, wrist and elbow surgery
· Hip surgery
· Knee surgery
· Shoulder surgery
· Sports medicine
If you haven't experienced adequate relief with medication and other conservative treatments, MountainStar Healthcare’s knee specialists are here to help. They offer partial and total knee replacements to relieve chronic knee pain caused by injury or disease, such as arthritis. Through knee replacement surgery and their comprehensive rehabilitation program, you can return to your active lifestyle.
Peak Orthopaedics at Lone Peak Hospital
96 Kimballs Lane, Building 3, Suite 207
Draper, UT 84020
Phone: (801) 576-2300
Peak Orthopaedics offers same day consults with a joint specialist for all new injuries. You can be seen today or the very next business day. For more information about this clinic, visit PeakOrthoClinic.com.
To learn more about knee replacement, click here.
Lone Peak Hospital is one of eight MountainStar Healthcare hospitals in Utah.
