When is replacement the best option?

Patients with hip pain have new options -- a revolutionary technique in which the total hip is replaced through a single incision at the front - or anterior - of the hip.

The unique surgery spares muscle tissue, reduces post-operative pain and shortens recovery time. The surgery is possible using a special OSI Surgical table, available exclusively at Porter in the Northwest Indiana area.

Answers to a few frequently asked questions:

When is hip replacement the best option?

When, despite non-operative care, the pain impairs the quality of life so severely that the patient is willing to accept the risks and expense of surgery.

Examples include the man who has golfed all his life, but no longer can; the carpenter who can no longer climb a ladder to do his job; the cardiac rehab patient unable to do his exercises.

Who is a candidate for hip replacement?

It’s preferable for patients to be in reasonably good health. But, in cases of extreme need, hip replacement can be performed even in high-risk situations. In these special situations, we have a close collaboration with the Internal Medicine and/or Cardiology Departments.

What makes the anterior hip replacement different?

The anterior approach is the only approach where no muscles are cut or detached from the bone, allowing greater freedom of movement and more rapid recovery with less post-operative pain. Patients generally go home the day after surgery, using just a cane. They can resume full activity within weeks of surgery. Of course, each person is different, but in general, patients feel much better much sooner with the anterior muscle sparing approach than other techniques.

How new is this procedure?

Dr. Joel Matta from Los Angeles introduced the technique to the United States 14 years ago. Matta saw the technique done in Paris, using a special operating table. Matta modified the table and began manufacturing them in the United States. Dr. Michael Leland learned the technique directly from Matta and Porter purchased his state-of-the-art table. Patients are pleased with the results and the improvements in recovery.