MCHENRY – Crystal Lake native and orthopaedic surgeon Kelly Holtkamp doesn’t like to see people in pain. Although it’s a part of her job to care for patients who are feeling discomfort, Holtkamp prefers the other part of her job – the part where she makes the pain go away.
Holtkamp specializes in hand surgery, and one of the procedures she performs is a state-of-the-art finger joint replacement surgery. She says the surgery helps people who live with daily pain in their hands.
“There is no one too old for this surgery,” Holtkamp says. “If a person is active and has pain with his or her daily activities, this is a perfect procedure.”
During a finger joint replacement surgery, Holtkamp removes a patient’s diseased joint and replaces it with a prosthetic joint made of a polyethylene component and titanium. After surgery, patients immediately begin therapy to improve their range of motion, and after about four weeks of healing patients begin strengthening exercises.
As a former physical therapist, Holtkamp says she knows a team approach is extremely important to the success of hand surgeries. She works closely with occupational therapists to ensure her patients receive intensive rehabilitation so their new finger joints work as well as possible.
“Excellent therapy is imperative when it comes to hand surgery,” Holtkamp said. “Patients have to be dedicated to their exercises to get everything out of their new joints.”
Holtkamp received her training in finger joint replacement while she completed a fellowship in hand surgery at the Mayo Medical School College of Medicine. She studied under Dr. William Cooney, a pioneer in finger joint replacement surgery who also designed the joint implant that Holtkamp uses. She said it was a great opportunity to work with Cooney as he fine-tuned the surgery at the Mayo Clinic.
“I saw the process we utilized to tweak the instruments we were using to cut bones,” Holtkamp said. “I was in the right place at the right time.”
Today, Holtkamp uses her advanced training to care for patients in the greater McHenry County area. A Crystal Lake native, she says it feels good to help people enjoy their daily activities again.
“People are so grateful after this surgery,” Holtkamp says. “There are men in their 50s who are suffering from excruciating old football injuries who can painlessly use a keyboard after finger joint replacement. There is also so much we can do for arthritis.”
Candidates for finger joint replacement have joint pain from arthritis or injuries. Holtkamp says a person whose job involves heavy labor may not be a candidate because of possible damage to the replaced joint but most other adults benefit from this surgery.
“People think they just have to live with the pain, but there is a lot we can do to help people feel more comfortable during their activities of daily living,” Holtkamp says. “This surgery, combined with great therapy afterward, makes a huge difference in a patient’s life.”
Centegra Health System is committed to meeting the healthcare needs of the residents of greater McHenry County and to making services available in multiple and convenient locations, including hospitals in McHenry and Woodstock, Immediate and Primary Care centers, Centegra Sage Cancer Center, Health Bridge Fitness Centers and more. As the region’s leading healthcare provider, Centegra Health System continues to bring the latest treatments and technology, along with the skills of nearly 4,000 medical professionals, to meet the needs of the growing McHenry County community. For more information on Centegra Health System visit centegra.org or call 877-CENTEGRA (877-236-8347).