New Columbia man back to active lifestyle after ankle replacement

From Geisinger media

Surgery was area’s first of its kind at an ambulatory surgery center

Dean Parry, 66, of New Columbia, loves spending time outdoors. He likes to hike, hunt and fish, a lifestyle that requires a full range of motion.

But keeping active has not always been easy for Parry. Dealing with an aggressive type of autoimmune arthritis that damages cartilage in his joints, minor injuries and wear and tear have taken a toll on him. He has had several joint replacements over the years.

“I have had three shoulder replacements and now both ankles. All were done for pain and functionality,” Parry says. “All were successful for allowing me to maintain a lot of my previous functionality and excellent pain reduction.”

A little more than a year and half ago he had his left ankle replaced in an outpatient surgery at Geisinger Medical Center and had remarkable success.

However, late last year, Dean experienced increasing pain in his right ankle; it got to the point that he couldn’t put weight on his foot. When all nonsurgical treatment failed, it was time to consider surgery again with either fusion or replacement. Ankle replacements can last from 15 to 20 years before there may be a need to replace some components, something fusion surgery may avoid. But for Parry’s active lifestyle, it was all about maintaining his mobility.

“With fusion surgery, it is just as it sounds, it involves fusing the bones in the foot to the leg and eliminates the ankle joint,” said Benjamin Wagner, MD, Geisinger orthopaedic surgeon for foot and ankles. “With replacement surgery, we replace the joint with medical grade plastic and metal, and the patient keeps the joint’s mobility.”

Parry’s second ankle replacement didn’t require another trip to the Geisinger Medical Center. In July he had the surgery in an ambulatory setting at Geisinger Healthplex Woodbine -- the first total ankle replacement performed at the facility.

“Woodbine provides another location and increases access for patients to have total ankle surgeries performed,” said Dr. Wagner.  “We are the first in the area to provide this surgery at an ambulatory surgery center. Woodbine is set up for outpatient surgery from all aspects of patient care, from check in to check out. The staff deals with only outpatient surgeries. And the facility even offers ease of departure with a car lane just for assisting patients and family into their vehicles.”

Parry has been hard a work for the past several months getting himself ready for hunting season.

“The pain is gone, and I can sleep at night. Things are going great,” he said after a recent follow-up appointment. “I plan on going out this weekend with my crossbow, unless it rains of course. I am too old to go out in the rain.”