Patient Center

We created our Patient Center with you in mind. You will discover a wealth of detailed information to help advise, educate, and provide assurance that you’ve come to the right place for the best in orthopedic treatment and care. Here you will find important information about the specific type of surgery that will be performed, pre- and postoperative care instructions. All designed to help make your visit with us as pleasant and worry-free as possible.

This content will provide guidance to you, but of course cannot substitute for a consultation with a medical professional. We encourage you to use this resource as much as you like, and once you arrive for your office visit, our physicians and other professionals will help you synthesize the information to make the right decision for you.

Please click on the links below for further information.

Elbow

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Epicondylitis »

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.
Shoulder and Elbow »

Foot and Ankle

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Ankle Sprains »
Bunion Surgery »
Foot & Ankle Fractures »
Plantar Fasciitis »

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.
Foot and Ankle »

Hand and Wrist

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome »
De Quervain's Tendonitis »
Dupuytren's Contracture »
Ganglion Cysts »
Trigger Finger »
Understanding Arthritis of the Hand »
Wrist Arthroscopy »
Wrist & Hand Fractures »

Hand »

Hip

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Total Hip Replacement Surgery »

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.

Knee

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Patient Education Pamphlets
ACL Reconstruction »
Knee Arthroscopy »
Knee Chondromalacia »
Meniscal Injuries »
Runner's Knee »
Total Knee Replacement Surgery »
Understanding Knee Osteoarthritis »
Understanding Knee Sprains »
Understanding the Knee »

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.
Knee »

Shoulder

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Rotator Cuff Surgery »
Shoulder Arthroscopy »
Shoulder Arthroscopy »
Shoulder Instability »
Understanding the Shoulder »

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.
Shoulder »

Spine, Back, and Neck

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Patient Education Pamphlets
Disk Herniation »
Laminectomy »
Microdiscectomy »
Spinal Fusion »

Patient Questionnaire Forms
Click here to view the Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire
Click here to view the Neck Disability Index Questionnaire

View animated orthopedic procedures »
Presented by SWARM Interactive.
Spinal Disorders and Surgery »

Hotel Accommodations

Special hotel discount rates have been negotiated for patients and guests of Summit Orthopedics throughout the east metropolitan area. It is the responsibility of each individual patient and/or family member to make the reservation.

Participating hotels near the Gallery Medical Building (Downtown St. Paul) include:

Holiday Inn, St. Paul Downtown (651-225-1515)
Hilton Garden Inn, St. Paul City Center (651-291-8800)

Participating hotels near the Eagan Clinic (Eagan) include:

Hilton Garden Inn (651-291-8800)
Holiday Inn Express (877-863-4780)
Staybridge Suites (888-299-2208)

Participating hotels near the Woodlake Center (Woodbury) include:

Sheraton St. Paul Woodbury (651-209-3280)

When making a reservation, please specify that you wish to receive the preferred rate** for Summit Orthopedics.

**Hotel rates are subject to change without notice.

Education Pamphlets

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Pre-surgery Information

Undergoing surgery is not part of a persons normal daily routine. At Summit Orthopedics, we recognize this and have prepared special presurgery information for you to read before you arrive at our center. This brochure provides pertinent information about presurgery testing, instructions to follow before your surgery, and what to expect on the day of surgery. Our goal is to provide a safe surgical experience with minimal pain and discomfort.
Download the presurgery information »
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Post Op Instructions

After surgery:

If you need a pain medication refill after surgery, remember to call or have the pharmacy call the office number. Please remember, narcotic refills cannot be prescribed after hours by the on-call physician and require a hand-signed prescription.

For any concerns following surgery, please call the number on the business card. For urgent concerns after business hours, please call (651) 968-5201 and have the on-call physician paged.

After surgery do the following until you see your physician:

Rest with your surgical extremity elevated
Use ice on the surgical area for 20 minutes on and 40 minutes off, three to five times a day for three days following surgery. Ice will reduce the swelling and aid with healing and pain control.
Keep the dressing clean, dry, and intact
Drink fluids liberally, up to eight to ten glasses a day.
Following general anesthetic, keep your lungs clear by coughing and deep breathing every two hours, when awake, for 48 hours following surgery.

Notify your physician if you have:

Fever
Prolonged numbness and tingling for more than 24 hours following surgery
Prolonged tingling
Increased pain, not managed by medication
Increased swelling
Excessive draining from wound
Decreased motion, greater than expected around the dressing

If you have any of these symptoms, your doctor may need to see you.

Common potential complications encountered during and after surgery:

It is important to have realistic expectations about the proposed surgical procedure. Even though it is rare, there are potential complications with any surgery. It is important that you have reasonable knowledge of the potential problems. Other reported complications that are unusually rare may not be included on this list. Do not hesitate to discuss concerns with your physician at any time, including the possibility of surgery not having the desired outcome.

Infection: Infection is the most commonly encountered postsurgical complication. The usual infection rate is less than two percent for most procedures. To minimize this problem, some patients get a single dose of preventative antibiotics just before surgery. In the majority of cases, if an infection occurs, it can be controlled with normal measures. However, patients who have had joint replacements should discuss these potential complications in detail with their physician.

Thrombo-embolic problems: Blood clots of the veins in the legs can occur after fractures. They can also be encountered during joint replacement surgery and certain lower extremity surgeries. The worst complication of a blood clot includes the possibility of the clot spreading to the lungs, which could be fatal. Measures to prevent this are routinely employed.

Wound problems: There are occasional problems with wound healing. This is more common in patients on steroid therapy, or patients with an underlying disease such as diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. The wound often just requires a longer time to heal. Occasionally it can be necessary to go back to the operating room for a secondary wound closure.

Neurological complications: Depending on the anatomical area of the surgery, there are nerves that are at risk. In the event of complication with a nerve, it is generally only a bruising of the nerve, which then recovers spontaneously. Sometimes there may be some sensory impairment after surgery. Injury to major nerves is very uncommon and usually avoidable.

Vascular complications: Depending on the anatomical area of surgery, there is a potential of blood vessel injury. This is usually apparent during the surgery and is typically corrected at that time. A major vascular injury is rare but, if encountered, might be very difficult to control and could be fatal.

Total joint replacement: One possible long-term complication of total joint replacement is subsequent loosening and failure of the component. Your physician can discuss this with you in detail.

Nonunion: It is possible that a bone might not heal after a fracture or surgical procedure, often referred to as ‘nonunion of the bone. Nonunion is fairly uncommon but can be problematic and may require a second procedure.

Internal fixation failure: Screws, pins, and plates may be used in various combinations to fix fractures or for elective surgical procedures. There is a very low incidence of fixation failure. In the majority of cases, failure is directly related to a nonunion or delayed union of the underlying bone. Internal fixation failure may require a secondary procedure.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy: This is a very rare but significant condition. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy can occur secondary to any surgical procedure or following a fracture without surgical intervention. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy is an abnormal outflow of stimulus from the patient’s nerve system. It results in swelling, discoloration, pain, and stiffness of the involved extremity. Various treatment options are available.

Anesthetic complications: There are also various complications that may arise from the anesthetic used. the anesthesiologist will discuss possible complications with the patient prior to surgery.

Important Contact Telephone Numbers

Summit Orthopedics
Main Number: (651) 968-5200
Return Appointments: (651) 968-5201
Direction Line: (651) 842-5305

Hospital Emergency Room Numbers
Regina Medical Center: (651) 480-4310
Regions Hospital: (651) 254-3307
St. John’s Hospital: (651) 232-7348
St. Joseph’s Hospital: (651) 232-3348
United Hospital: (651) 241-8755
Woodwinds Health Campus: (651) 232-0348
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