Orthopedics, Spine & Sports Medicine

Posts Tagged ‘hip surgery’

Minimally Invasive Hip Surgery Gets Patients Active Faster – A Patient Story

June 10th, 2011 By Dr. Bradbury

When I first met Mark Putnam, he had chronic pain in his right groin and lower back caused by osteoarthritis of the hip. At 49, Mark felt twice his age. His local orthopedic surgeon was uncomfortable performing surgery because of the extent of the damage to the joint and instead referred Mark to the Emory Orthpaedics & Spine Center.

Mark needed a total hip replacement, and I knew he would be an excellent candidate for anterior total hip arthroplasty, an Emory-pioneered minimally invasive surgery that involved a new approach to the hip joint. Hip arthroplasty traditionally is performed through the posterior, or back, of the hip. This means the surgeon has to remove muscle and ligaments from the bone in order to reach the affected area. Because it takes a while for the tissues to heal after posterior total hip arthroplasty, the range of motion the hip can have for the first couple of months is restricted to prevent dislocation.

Anterior total hip arthroplasty has changed the way we perform hip replacement surgery at Emory. During the procedure, the orthopedic surgeon enters the front of the hip, as opposed to the back, via a single, very short incision to the patient’s leg. Because the surgeon can expose the hip without removing as much muscle and ligament from the bones around the hip joint, the patient retains a better range of motion in the hip and has greater hip stability following surgery.

While anterior total hip arthroplasty takes longer than traditional posterior surgery, the quick recovery time more than makes up for it. After surgery, Mark was pain free for the first time in years.

“It’s been terrific,” he said. “I was out the other day playing catch with my son, and I got down in a catcher’s squat and it didn’t even affect me.”

I encourage you to read up on the details of Mark’s total hip arthroplasty, and watch a video on Mark’s journey. Have you had anterior total hip arthroplasty? We’d like to hear about your experience. Please take a moment to give us feedback in the comments section below.

About Thomas Bradbury, MD

Thomas Bradbury, MD, is an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery. He holds clinic at Emory Orthopaedics & Spine Center at Executive Park and performs surgery at Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital (EUOSH). Dr. Bradbury’s professional goal is the improvement in quality of life for patients with pain secondary to hip and knee problems. He started practicing at Emory in 2007.

Share|

Improved Joint Capsule Reconstruction Results in Fewer Dislocated Hips

February 22nd, 2011 By James R. Roberson, MD

Dislocation of the ball from the joint has always been a possible complication following hip replacement surgery. However, at Emory Orthopaedics, a couple of developments have significantly reduced, if not eliminated, those concerns.

One of these developments is the use of alternative bearing surfaces such as highly cross-linked polyethylene—a super-wear-resistant plastic—which enables surgeons to use larger-diameter balls (femoral heads) in the hip joint. The new, thinner bearing surfaces allow for larger-diameter femoral heads, making the hip intrinsically more stable.

Another development that has significantly increased hip stability is recognition of the importance of reconstructing the ligamentous capsule of the hip joint to its appropriate anatomic position at the completion of the hip replacement. The hip is held in place by the soft tissue around the hip—the capsule, the ligaments, and the tendons. If these are not put back in an anatomic position (i.e., where they came from), the hip will have a greater chance of dislocation.

At Emory Orthopaedics, what these developments mean is that we have become more comfortable allowing our patients to resume natural activities earlier after surgery. Traditionally, patients were told they shouldn’t bend their hip more than 90 degrees, shouldn’t cross their legs, should use an elevated toilet seat, etc. for up to three months following surgery. Patients were apprehensive about dislocating their hip. But with these new materials and improved methods, for most patients we’ve stopped using those restrictions in the early post-op period. Now we feel confident telling patients that they can sit however they’d like to, bend their hips, and so on. They can go straight to enjoying their new and improved hip.

Have you had or are you going to have joint capsule reconstruction surgery? We’d like to hear about your experience. Please take a moment to give us feedback in the comments section below.

About Dr. Roberson

James R. Roberson, MD, chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics and professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, specializes in treating hip and knee arthritis and has performed more than 10,000 hip and knee replacements over the course of his career. Dr. Roberson has practiced at Emory since 1982.

Share|