Total hip replacement
1
Damaged head of
femur is removed
2
Ball prosthesis
is cemented into
hollowed-out femur
3
Socket prosthesis is
prepared and connected
to ball prosthesis
go good
our cartilage a little bit every day.
For those whose hips wear out
sooner, we are fortunate that we
have the ability to replace the hip to
restore mobility and resume life.”
Posterior vs. anterior
Hip replacement surgery usually
takes about two hours to perform.
During a traditional hip replace-
ment, the surgeon makes a 6- to
8-inch incision over the side of the
hip and removes the damaged bone
tissue and cartilage from the joint.
Te surgeon then replaces the hip
ball and socket with artifcial parts.
“In recent years, more and more
patients come in wanting to know
what kind of hip they should have,
and some even ask that it be put in
a certain way that they have read or
heard about,” says Dr. Blocker.
Dr. Blocker says there is nothing
wrong with being well-informed,
but it’s important to remember
that blogs, patient testimonials and
manufacturers’ advertisements can
not replace your doctor’s education
and experience.
“Tere are four or fve major
manufacturers of hip implants in
the United States,” says Dr. Blocker.
“Tey’re all good. Tere is not one
that is consistently superior to the
others. If there were, everybody
would use the same one.”
According to the American
Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons,
there are many diferent ways to do
a hip replacement. Each approach
has its own unique pros and cons.
Tere are four main surgical ap-
proaches to the hip, but the most
common are anterior and posterior.
Our highly skilled
orthopedic surgeons
use the latest advances
in hip surgery.
Posterior approach
Te posterior approach to hip re-
placement is most commonly used.
A potential disadvantage of the pos-
terior approach is that historically
the dislocation rate was thought to
be slightly higher. With newer hip
designs most studies show this no
longer to be the case.
An advantage of the posterior
approach is that it allows easy
access to the joint with only one
assistant, does not require a special
table, and provides better visualiza-
tion of the femur (thigh bone) for
placement of the thigh component.
Anterior approach
Te anterior approach is an older
approach that has been less com-
monly used; however, according
to Dr. Blocker, it has been “redis-
covered” and is being marketed as
better. Consequently, patients are
asking about having this approach.
Potential disadvantages of the
anterior approach are:
➜
➜
Increased risk of femur fractures
or splitting.
➜
➜
Nerve damage near the incision.
➜
➜
High level of difculty for the
surgeon.
➜
➜
Ankle fracture caused by the
patient’s position during surgery.
“As with implants, if there were
one single best approach, every
surgeon would use that particular
approach,” says Dr. Blocker. “I was
Trust the
local touch
In the days and weeks after surgery,
living only minutes away from your
surgeon’s ofce can be a tremen-
dous advantage for convenience
and even overall outcome if a prob-
lem or concern arises.
Te surgeons at Beaufort
Memorial Hospital (BMH) rely on
peer-reviewed medical literature,
conferences and personal experi-
ence to help guide their patients’
decisions about which implant to
choose and what surgical approach
or technique will work best from
them.
BMH orthopedic surgeons are:
✓
✓
Edward D. Blocker, MD
✓
✓
Mark Dean, MD
✓
✓
H. Kevin Jones, MD
✓
✓
Ralph Salzer, MD
✓
✓
Lee Stoddard, MD
✓
✓
Scott Strohmeyer, MD
Cofey infographic with information from the Arthritis Foundation
at a recent joint replacement con-
ference where one of the speakers
presented a study comparing each
of the diferent hip approaches and
found absolutely no diference in
patient outcome, speed of recovery,
or complications.”
Talk to your doctor about the
risks and benefts of hip replace-
ment surgery, and ask if you might
be a candidate for a new hip.
Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585 • Health Scene
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