First Patient Has Knee Replacement at Surgery Center 

Freddie Harris, 60, of Tupelo has recovered well after becoming the first patient to have outpatient knee replacement surgery at North Mississippi Surgery Center on Nov. 16, 2020.

In December 2019, Freddie’s wife asked him to bring Christmas decorations down from the attic. When he felt his left knee “pop,” he knew something was awry. He was treated at West Tupelo Urgent Care and referred to Bryan Fagan, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon with Orthopaedic Institute of North Mississippi. After an MRI, Dr. Fagan told Harris he needed knee replacement surgery. “Dr. Fagan said, ‘let me know when you’re ready,’” Harris said. “My knee was really bothering me big time, so in October, I told Dr. Fagan that I was ready.”

With some assistance, Freddie walked out of the Surgery Center shortly after his procedure. “I loved coming home after surgery instead of staying at the hospital,” he said. “My family was there to help me at home if I needed anything.” A nurse and physical therapist from NMMC Home Health visited Freddie a few times at home that first week, and then he began physical therapy at NMMC’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center three times a week.

He looks forward to starting back to work—knee pain-free--next week at NMMC, where he has been a pharmacy technician for 31 years. For more information about knee replacement surgery and other procedures at North Mississippi Surgery Center, visit www.nmhs.net/north-mississippi-surgery-center or call 1-800-THE DESK (1-800-843-3375). #ConnectNMMC