Expert bone & joint treatment

Trusted experience

Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons are among the most internationally renowned and innovative specialists in their field, having designed many of the devices used in hospitals across the nation and around the world. They perform more than 4,500 orthopedic surgeries each year, so you know you're in good hands. Additionally, our nursing staff is orthopedic nurse certified, which means your nurses at Advocate Lutheran General are experts in providing orthopedic care.

Commitment to excellence

Advocate Lutheran General is consistently recognized for its time-tested commitment to providing patients with the best care available:

• Named a Blue Distinction Center for quality hip and knee replacement and spine surgery. This honor recognizes our track record for meeting clinically validated quality standards and delivering better overall outcomes for knee, hip and spine surgery.
• Recognized as a 100 Top Hospital for the 16th time by Truven Health Analytics. No other hospital in the country has been included on this list of high-performing hospitals as many times.
• Honored with 2015's only ILPEx Gold Award, the highest honor given for performance excellence and Magnet status for nursing, a national designation for excellence.

Advanced, personalized care

Our orthopedic surgeons specialize in leading-edge, minimally invasive techniques and 3D technology to create the highest level of personalized treatment plans for our patients. These advancements provide smaller incisions, faster recovery, less post-operative pain and a lower risk of infection.

Quicker recovery

With our unique care management system, a nurse care manager follows and monitors your progress every day. This will help ensure that you receive the most efficient care for the best and quickest recovery possible.

Comprehensive team approach

With access to the right combination of care from a multidisciplinary team of experts, you're able to achieve your best possible outcome and get back to being you. Our team includes:

• Dedicated orthopedic advanced practice nurse: This nurse has an additional level of clinical expertise and works to help you reach your goals.
• Physical therapy services: You receive this service after surgery in the privacy of your room from a licensed physical therapist. The focus of physical therapy is joint movement, including range of motion, coordination and balance. The goal is to assist you in attaining the highest possible level of function.
• Occupational therapy services: You receive this service in the privacy of your room by a licensed occupational therapist. The focus of occupational therapy is to assist you with activities of daily living, which include bathing, dressing and grooming. The goal is to improve your ability to care for yourself independently and safely.
• Care management nurses and social workers: These licensed professionals assist you with plans for when you leave the hospital. They help coordinate the transition to your next setting for care - your home, rehabilitation center or skilled nursing facility. The goal is to ensure that your recovery continues to go smoothly.

We specialize in a variety of procedures and use the most advanced techniques and technology available in orthopedics. Our surgical services include:

Joint replacement education

After having orthopedic surgery, our dedicated team of experts will provide comprehensive care to help you get back on your feet – and back to your life – more quickly. Here’s what you can expect after your orthopedic surgery at Advocate Lutheran General.

Your care team

Your doctors: While you're still in the hospital post-surgery, your doctors will visit with you, discuss your progress and address your concerns. You’ll see a number of doctors, including:

• Your surgeon and/or their team
• Your primary care doctor or hospitalist

Your nurses: You’ll receive nursing care from our experienced orthopedic nurses during your hospital stay:

• Nurse care manager: With our unique care management system, your nurse care manager on the orthopedic unit will follow your progress and care every day. The care manager's job is to help you plan for the next step in your recovery, discharge to home or rehab facility. Your nurse care manager, along with social workers, will assist you with arrangements for ongoing care as needed, including:
  • Equipment needs
  • Home health care
  • Skilled nursing facility placement
• Advanced practice nurse: If you have a more complex case or medical history, our advanced practice nurse will collaborate with your care team to determine the safest and most efficient treatment for your specific needs.  

Physical & occupational therapy

Physical and occupational therapy are crucial to improving your mobility and strength and helping you regain your independence after surgery. Your therapy will begin in the hospital after your surgery.

Physical therapy: Our physical therapy team will personalize a program for you that focuses on the activities you'll be doing on a daily basis, including getting in and out of bed safely, walking safely with a walker, crutches or a cane, as directed by your doctor, and completing your exercise program with minimal assistance.

Occupation therapy: Our occupational therapy team works with you to master activities you need for daily living, such as bathing, dressing grooming and special help needed in the bathroom.

Outpatient rehabilitation: You may continue with outpatient rehabilitation after you go home. Ongoing rehabilitation will help improve your functioning and mobility and build your strength.

Learn more about rehabilitation services at Lutheran General Hospital.

Preparing for your return home

Discharge planning: Your doctor will talk to you about your discharge plans before your surgery. Most people return home shortly after orthopedic surgery. While at home, you’ll continue physical and occupational therapy. You may also need additional nursing care. If you need more comprehensive care, you may need to consider using a skilled nursing or inpatient rehabilitation facility, where nursing and therapy services are provided.

Prepare your home: Before you come to the hospital for your procedure, take the following steps to get your home ready:

• Remove clutter and throw rugs. Remove or tape down any cords/wires. Know where flooring is uneven.
• Have all areas of the home well lit (consider night lights in bathrooms and bedrooms).
• Widen pathways so you can move through your home with an assistive device, such as a walker or crutches.
• Add railings to stairs if you don’t have any. Consider installing grab bars in the bathroom for assistance standing.
• Move things you use often to areas where you can reach them easily.
• Prepare meals and freeze them to simplify cooking.
• Arrange for help with shopping and transportation.

Caring for yourself: If your surgery is an elective procedure, you need to be prepared to take care of yourself. Before your surgery, plan ahead to ensure that your recovery goes smoothly at home by following these tips: 

• Ask a family member, significant other or friend to help you at home. You should not be at home alone the first night after your surgery.
• Arrange for child care if you have young children. You should not plan on caring for them alone when you first return home.
• Your surgeon will give you instructions about the activity level you should maintain at home.
• Generally, you may be up and about if you are comfortable. Avoid strenuous activity such as pushing or pulling heavy objects.
• You can go up and down stairs, depending on how well you have done with stairs during therapy.
• Follow your exercise instructions.
• Sit in chairs that provide adequate support and have arms that you can use to help yourself stand up.
• Don’t cross your legs when you sit or stand.
• Ask for help putting on shoes and socks.
• You may bathe or shower as your surgeon instructs.
• Do not drive, until your physician gives you the OK.
• Keep your bandage or dressing clean and dry as instructed.
• Get plenty of rest.

Follow-up care

You will schedule a follow-up appointment with your surgeon about one to two weeks after your surgery.

Notify your surgeon if you have:

• Redness and/or swelling at the incision site
• Drainage from the surgical incision
• Pain in the calf of your leg or increased swelling in your leg
• A fever greater than 101 degrees
• Pain that is not controlled by your medication

Other reminders: Let your doctor and dentist know before you have other procedures or surgery done. You may need antibiotics before these procedures to help prevent infection.