Coon Joint Replacement Institute

Dr. Coon is a masterful surgeon who did a truly excellent job with my total knee replacement. I was NOT looking for hand-​holding. I was looking for an amazingly skilled surgeon. Yes, his office has a lot of patients and is very much no-​nonsense and business-​like, but that’s what I wanted. My knee replacement was done perfectly in 30 minutes under conscious sedation (no general ansthesia). I was walking with a walker the evening of the surgery. I went home 24 hours after the surgery. The incision was completely closed, sealed, and dry in five days. I had zero infection. Three weeks post-​surgery I can walk around my house, slowly, without a cane, which isn’t bad for being 70. Getting back to full knee function, becoming pain-​free, and having no more swelling will take more time and a lot of physical therapy, but when I’m fully recovered, I’m going straight back to Dr. Coon to get the other knee done!

Dr. Coon is a bit of a rock star who has a great reputation for knee replacement surgery. Keeping with that reputation, the entire process is governed by a hurry up and be recovered narrative. But it’s very invasive surgery; not magic. You will wait a long time at each visit, and then be rushed once you get in.
I have a friend who went here too, and he has the same take-​away.
In my case, since I had two previous knee surgeries, there was a lot of scar tissue and I developed a large blood clot at the sight of the wound. This kept the wound open and slowed physical therapy. You would have thought I committed a sin. The doctor wrote a letter to the VA on my behalf (the knee was first injured while in the military) and stated that recovery could Occur in as little as 8 weeks. According to my Physical therapist who has treated many patients with knee replacements this is laughable as they ALL take from 6 months to a year before feeling recovered, as in, don’t have to consider the bad knee when doing activities.
I am four months out and it is still swollen, stiff, and I still at times limp. This is a cardinal sin at the Coon Institute. It doesn’t fit into the rock star narrative, which is essentially a marketing narrative ($$$$). Yours will not fit the narrative either, I guarantee it! Yes, you will walk on a walker the night of the surgery, but on so many residual pain meds from the surgery you could nearly walk with the leg amputated. Don’t let that fool you.
This doesn’t mean don’t do it, just be ready to deal with the deception about recovery and plan on it taking longer than you are told. Don’t share a discouraging word for you will be scorned. Trust your physical therapist and not the Doctor on this part. Sadly, when the marketing side overtakes the medical, the trust that should exist between patient and Doctor goes out the door.

Went in to get my hips replaced and have to say Dr. Diana was totally awesome, and so where his staff. Now I see why people from eureka would travel 4.5 hours to see Dr. Diana (which driving that long after surgery is no pic-​nic) I just had my surgery yesterday so I can’t comment on the healing and how long etc. I’lll add that later when I find out. The only thing I didn’t like about coon was there food was absolutely disgusting!!! I had breakfast, lunch and dinner there in hopes I just ordered something the cook messed up but nope, everything was so bland and gross, I took a bite out of each thing and spit it back out, gross. And the café isn’t any better they push healthy things down your throat… pass.

Attorney Frank Mayo I hope will pursue this institution for their hellish knee replacement

They called us a few day before my wife’s operation telling us to be there at 9:30 and operation would be at 11:00 am. So last night they call us and tell us to be there at 7:30 and operation would be at 9:00. So ok we get there at 7:15 and had to wait til 11:30 before they even got us out of the pre opp. They need to better inform the staff on scheduling.
Besides that all went well and very good folks.
Richard DeCosta
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Unbelievable experience! Never had major surgery and was very nervous. Had both hips replaced (6 months apart) and had very successful experiences. The hospital is like a resort. VERY attentive staff and Dr. Freehand was the best surgeon one could ask for. Both procedures went very smoothly, minimal pain and back to work within 5 days, just as they predicted. I cannot say enough good comments to reflect my experiences! Wish I had another hip… I enjoyed the R and R.

Hip surgery ²⁄₁₇. Followed dr’s instructions. iced and elevated for a week. After that ZERO pain. Staff and surgeon completely professional and helpful. My wife arranged a car big enough for me to keep my leg elevated on the 4 hour drive home, and we got out of the car once within every hour to move around some. Picked this hospital because one of the very best ratings re infections. It was readily apparent that this is a well run Hospital in St. Helena and my surgeon Dr. Diana did a PERFECT job.

Surgery was just two days ago, so can’t speak to the healing outcome. However, enjoyed congenial manner of surgeon, Dr. Moore, who never seemed to rushed to address all questions. Hospital staff from pre-​op to recovery to unit all attentive, appeared competent and were ceaselessly cheerful.
However, want to issue an alert regarding the policy of discharging within 24 hours following surgery. At the conclusion of the procedure while still in OR, surgical site is bathed in a wash of a numbing agent. This blissful painless oblivion lasts just long enough to get patient through discharge on day following surgery. What awaited on arrival home 1 ½ hours distant was alarming and quite another story: almost fell on driveway when attempting to move from car to house. Pain was intense, and following drive with leg in uncompromising position, the said limb protested mightily upon demand of weight bearing. With only one moderate sized adult to sort out this dilemma, situation was dire. Finally made the house with assistance of multiple chairs situated strategically along the route… This struggle continued through the rest of the day. Finally made it to bed, but ended up on the floor when attempting to go to the bathroom at 11:30 at night (why wasn’t a urinal included in the discharge items?). This was the worst, took one hour to get up and back to bed. Very close to calling for paramedic help. With the help of the aforementioned adult, had to scoot and use a couple of step stools to elevate body enough to get purchase on the walker…
Altogether a miserable, scary day which could have been alleviated by an extra day in the hospital, or at least a wheelchair to assist over the initial harsh period.
Will write again in a couple of weeks to evaluate outcome of surgery.

I had my knee replaced on July 5^th. I have absolutey no complaints about the procedure or the recovery but I’m a bit disappointed in the follow up post procedure. Follow up appointment was almost 2 hours later than scheduled time and getting the staff to respond to work related questions has been impossible. Like the surgeons… staff needs work.