|
Minimally Invasive Anterolateral Hip Replacement and
the “24 Hour Total Hip” at
Orthopaedic Associates of Portland
Minimally invasive anterolateral total hip
replacement is a remarkable new procedure pioneered
in Germany that is now being performed by a select
few surgeons in the US. By using this approach hip
replacement can be accomplished with a minimum of
surgical trauma by working between muscle groups
with a single small incision. No detachment or
splitting of muscle is required. This results in
less pain, short recovery without need for typical
restrictions post op, and remarkably rapid return to
function.
Dr. George Babikian at OAP was the first surgeon
in Maine and is currently one of three doctors in
New England to perform this surgery. The procedure
has near universal applicability, meaning that most
all patients requiring hip replacement, regardless
of age or body type, can benefit from this approach.
At OAP we have coined the term “24 Hour Hip” to
describe our procedure. By utilizing the minimally
invasive anterolateral technique and a sophisticated
anesthesia protocol, patients typically are up
walking without significant pain within hours of
surgery, take a minimum of pain medicine in the post
op period (often just Tylenol), and are home
comfortably the day after surgery without typical
hip restrictions or precautions. Using the
anterolateral minimally invasive approach over 85 %
of our patients have comfortably gone home the day
after surgery, and several have been discharged the
day of surgery. The speed at which our patients
return to function has been equally impressive, with
return to physical labor often within a month and to
desk type work in one to two weeks. Because we are
using traditional implants and are placing these
accurately under direct vision with the aid of
fluoroscopic guidance, we believe the long term
results will match or exceed traditional hip
replacement, without concern for undiscovered
problems associated with newer unproven
technologies.
Each year 200,000 individuals in the US have
traditional hip replacement. The typical length of
stay in hospital is 3 to 4 days with significant use
of pain medicine, not infrequently with discharge
being to a rehab hospital, not home. Typical
restrictions limit weight bearing and bending,
sitting and turning for 6 weeks to 3 months.
Since March 2006 Dr. Babikian has performed 116
minimally invasive anterolateral hip replacements
with great success, minimizing the patients rehab
time and effort while maximizing recovery. Doubters
have said “there is no free lunch”, and while
partially true, our results suggest we have been
“paying too much for lunch” with the traditional hip
replacement. Using true minimally invasive technique
and minimizing soft tissue injury at surgery allows
us to streamline the process for hip replacement
patients that want to get back on their feet and
back to living in the least possible time.
Revised 03/21/2007
|
