Perfect Fit: Same-Day Knee

"I'm wearing four-inch heels again and creating my trademark once-in-a-lifetime gowns."

My job is to outfit brides and prom queens in perfect satin and lace. But recently, pain from the chronic arthritis in my knee had hit a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. I could barely kneel to fix a hem or create the flawless fit my clients deserve.

I desperately needed a total knee replacement, but my work schedule didn't give me the leeway for eight weeks of rehabilitation. Then a client told me that both she and her daughter had knee replacement surgery with Dr. Rajesh Jain at Virtua. He was performing quad-sparing knee replacements where the recovery time was far shorter. I immediately made an appointment.

Dr. Jain explained that I was a perfect candidate for a quad-sparing total knee replacement. It would get me back to work faster because he wouldn't cut the quadriceps tendon. I felt confident in his skills and experience, and I scheduled surgery.

By noon the day of the surgery, I was up and around with the physical therapist. I actually never got back into bed at the hospital and was home that evening.

Just six days later, I was back in my dress studio. Talk about an amazing result. The pain was very manageable, and everything Dr. Jain said about the recovery time was true. Even the physical therapy was easy to complete because my pain was minimal.

~ Ivani Mazzuca