Hip & Knee Replacement for Patients from Waimea (Kamuela), Hawai‘i

No Pacific Bone & Joint clinic operates in Waimea, so seeing Dr. Morton means a drive toward Kona or toward Hilo. Dr. Morton is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who completed fellowship training in adult reconstruction, covering hip and knee replacement, robotic surgery and complex revision, at the University of Chicago. He grew up in Kea‘au, on this island, and came back to practice after training on the mainland and abroad. Roughly half of his practice is revision surgery referred by other surgeons, which matters if an older replacement has begun to slip or ache. He leads the decisions about the operation and performs every surgical step himself; the clinic visits, nursing, therapy and anesthesia around it draw on a wider orthopedic team. His background is on the About Dr. Morton page.

The choices are the same at either clinic and are made from standing X-rays and an exam, not habit. A partial knee replacement can suit arthritis confined to one compartment of the knee when the ACL is intact; when wear has spread further, a total knee fits better. Total knees are done through the quad-sparing subvastus approach in nearly every case, without a tourniquet. For hips, the direct anterior approach is Dr. Morton’s standard and usually means no hip precautions afterward. On Hawai‘i Island, each of these is planned on Mako from a CT scan of your own joint; the robot keeps the work to his plan and never cuts on its own. Tell him plainly what your days ask of you, whether that is long hours standing, uneven pasture ground or climbing into a saddle, because it shapes the recovery conversation.

Yes, and having them in place first makes the drive count. The office can usually pull X-rays and MRIs taken in Hawai‘i electronically. If you have files or discs from elsewhere, you can upload your images (opens in a new tab) so they are waiting when Dr. Morton sees you. Sending files is neither a review nor a booking. If the joint was replaced before, send the operative report and implant card along with the films themselves. If a clinic day is hard to reach, a Doximity video visit can come first: a text message brings the link, and you connect on an iPhone or Android phone. Dr. Morton still examines you in person, usually in Kona or Hilo, before any surgery.

A good share of the preparation can happen around home, and the rest at your pre-operative visit in Kona or Hilo. Your primary care provider usually gives medical clearance. Depending on your health, blood work and an EKG may be on the list; the office names the tests, can book them, and can tell you whether they can be done nearer Waimea. Every Mako plan begins with a CT scan of the joint, with no IV contrast. Use the weeks beforehand: an A1c target if you have diabetes, stopping smoking or vaping early to help healing, and a dental visit before surgery. Then ready the house with a clear path for a walker, a plan for any steps at the door and a companion for the first days. Prehab builds strength in the leg you are about to lean on, and the travel guide’s testing section has the details.

For a routine replacement done in Hilo, count drives rather than flights. Expect a consultation (in Kona, in Hilo or by video), a pre-operative visit, the CT scan for your Mako plan, surgery day in Hilo, and follow-ups, the first about a week later. Because both clinics serve Waimea, you can hold the office visits on whichever side is easier; if Kona is your clinic, the drive to Hilo is saved for surgery day. Telehealth between clinic days replaces drives that would only have been a conversation. If your case belongs at an O‘ahu hospital, such as a revision with bone loss or instability, it is usually built as one planned trip that bundles the hands-on exam, final testing, surgery and early recovery. Complex cases occasionally need one more visit, and you know about it before booking anything. The trip-planning guide covers the O‘ahu version in detail.

For most Waimea patients having a first hip, knee or partial knee replacement, the operation takes place at Hilo Community Surgery Center, where Dr. Morton uses the Mako robot. It is a same-day center: most patients are up with a walker the same day, and a companion drives you home and stays for at least the first 24 to 72 hours. If your heart, lungs, sleep apnea or another condition suggests you might need a night of monitoring, your surgery is planned at a hospital from the start rather than fitted into a same-day setting. Revisions with bone loss or instability, and other complex reconstructions, are planned at an O‘ahu hospital such as The Queen’s Medical Center. Your procedure, health and insurance decide the venue, and the reasoning is explained at your visit. Dr. Morton does not operate in Waimea or in Kona.

After same-day surgery in Hilo you leave the center on the day of your operation, so the real question from Waimea is where to spend that first night. You can ride straight home with your companion over Saddle Road or along the Hāmākua coast, or book a room near Hilo, rest, and make the drive back the next morning. Ask the team which suits your joint, your health and the ride. Either way, your companion keeps medicines on schedule and walks with you. The first follow-up comes around a week after surgery at the clinic you use. An O‘ahu operation changes the math: budget roughly 10–14 days near the hospital, long enough to reach the first post-operative check, and let the team’s fit-to-fly clearance pick the flight date, so keep the ticket changeable. Lodging tips are in the travel guide.

Rehab begins within a day or two of getting home, either in the house or at a clinic, and none of it needs to be in Hilo or Kona. A licensed physical therapist close to Waimea is all you need; ask the office for names if you have none in mind, and it will forward Dr. Morton’s written rehab protocols straight to whoever you choose. Video check-ins let the team look at your incision and adjust the plan without a drive. Most people lean on a walker for roughly two weeks and move to a cane when their balance is ready. Driving usually returns between two and six weeks, once you are off narcotic pain medicine and can brake hard. Sedentary work often comes back two to four weeks after a hip, nearer six weeks after a knee. Work done standing, lifting or climbing takes longer, and clearance is individual. Riding and rough-ground work are a conversation to have with Dr. Morton rather than a date on a chart.

Many Waimea patients will never need this section, because routine replacements are done in Hilo. If a revision or a more complex operation takes you to O‘ahu, the flight home waits until the surgical team clears you to fly, usually after about 10–14 days nearby. On the plane, take an aisle seat, walk when you safely can, drink water and do ankle pumps. Stick to the clot-prevention plan you were given; the flight is not a reason for an extra aspirin or blood thinner. Wheelchair or cart assistance can be requested from the airline at booking. Most implants set off metal detectors; the TSA needs no card or letter. Just tell the officer which joint was replaced. Arrange a ride from the airport back up to Waimea, since you may not be cleared to drive yet. See airport screening with an implant and the flying-home checklist.