When he was 26 years old, Warren Heiser learned he had severe osteoarthritis in both knees. After a lifetime of dealing with constant pain, Mr. Heiser, now 51, is looking forward to his pain-free, mobile future made possible by partial knee replacement surgery.
Athletic throughout his youth, Mr. Heiser, a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps, maintained his active lifestyle by playing softball until the age of 45, when he could no longer bear the pain caused by progressive arthritis.
“My cartilage had completely worn away over the years,” says Mr. Heiser. “I tried a number of therapies, including taking regular pain medication, to help me deal with the aches and the bone-on-bone rubbing sensation that came with every step. When I realized I was becoming sedentary, I knew I couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Every step I took felt like I had gravel or broken glass in my knee joint. I’d been told in the past that at my age, I wasn’t an ideal candidate for joint replacement surgery, so I tried to put it off as long as I could. When the pain got so bad that my lifestyle was being compromised despite medication and therapy, I knew something had to be done. And that’s when I found Dr. Rojer.”
Mr. Heiser sought the help of David Rojer, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of the Joint Replacement Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway, who recommended he have a partial unicompartmental replacement surgery performed on both knees, one at a time.
“As orthopedic specialists, we can recommend a patient undergo joint replacement surgery when necessary,” explains Dr. Rojer. “But ultimately, the decision is a personal choice made by the patient.”
The Road to a Renewed Life
The surgery on his left knee was completed in November 2010. He was back to work in five weeks. Now, Mr. Heiser is looking forward to Dr. Rojer repeating the procedure on his right knee in the coming months.
“In my opinion, Dr. Rojer is a rock star,” Mr. Heiser says. “I have never received respect and dignity at a hospital the way I received it at RWJ Rahway. Every person I came in contact with—from housekeeping to the physicians, therapists, and nurses—was amazing. I cannot say enough about how nice and knowledgeable everyone was.”
Mr. Heiser says he is excited to be able to play golf, ride a motorcycle, and walk with his wife and nephews once again without feeling pain.
“If you’re suffering from joint pain and replacement surgery is recommended, don’t put it off,” explains Mr. Heiser. “Without surgery, your pain will never go away. With surgery, yes, you’ll typically have some pain right afterward and during rehabilitation, but the difference is you know that pain will go away.”