As activity or age causes cartilage in your
joints to wear away, medication and
physical therapy may help ease pain
and relieve stiffness. However, if constant and
significant hip pain is interfering with your daily
activities, a new hip could be in order.
Return to Your Activities
Surgeons at Lancaster Community Hospital
(LCH) use advanced techniques to perform
minimally invasive total hip replacement and hip
resurfacing procedures. The surgeries help to
relieve pain so that you may regain lost mobility,
resume some of the activities you once enjoyed
and return to a fuller, more active life.
During total joint replacement, surgeons remove
bone and damaged cartilage in the hip joint. They
then install an artificial ball-and-socket prosthesis
that performs like a healthy hip.
Personal Choices, Quicker Recovery
Surgeons at LCH select an appropriate prosthesis
for each patient. Many patients do well with the
traditional metal-and-plastic replacement joints.
Metal-on-metal joints may be a better alternative
for younger patients because they offer more
stability and durability.
"Implants have improved dramatically,
even in just the last five years," says Gregg Sobeck,
MD, an orthopedic surgeon at LCH. "Generally,
we don't remove as much bone, so recovery time
is shorter and patients are out of the hospital
faster."
New implants are tougher, so there's less
concern that they're going to wear out in 10 or
15 years. "With the new materials used in current
implants, they could last for up to 40 or 50 years,"
he says.
Reshaping by Resurfacing
LCH also offers hip resurfacing
procedures, where surgeons reshape
the bone, rather than remove it. They
then fit a metal cap on the reshaped
bone and replace the hip socket with
a metal cup. This can be a durable
solution for younger, active patients
who want a high level of functionality
and performance.
"These days, many joint replacement
patients don't just want to get back to
daily activities. They want to get back
to running, skiing, snowboarding and
other pursuits. They can do all these
things much easier than they could with
older joint replacement procedures,"
Dr. Sobeck says.
Get Back in Motion
LCH offers many treatments that may
help to relieve pain, including joint
replacement. For a free physician
referral, call Direct DoctorsSM Plus at
1-800-851-9780.
Do You Need a New Knee?
Are you one of the millions
of Americans who have
arthritis of the knee with no
relief from medications and other
nonsurgical treatments? If you've
ceased or cut back on activities you
once enjoyed before you developed
painful, stiff knees, it may be time to
consider a partial or total knee joint
replacement.
"Knee replacement surgery is
the most common joint procedure
performed in the United States," says
Gregg Sobeck, MD, an orthopedic
surgeon at LCH. "With our aging
population living longer, the number
of people having knee replacements
will continue to grow."
Choices Mean Custom Fit
Surgeons at LCH provide patients
with comprehensive care before,
during and after knee replacement
procedures. Smaller incisions made
during surgery mean less damage
to tissues and a faster recovery time
for many patients. A wider range
of implant sizes than previously
available helps surgeons create a
better, more individualized fit.
"With newer implants, the
replacement knee bends like a
normal knee. We can achieve a
140-degree bend or better," Dr.
Sobeck says. "Older replacements
were able to achieve only about 110
degrees. The additional bend makes a
huge difference in mobility, especially
with activities like getting in and out
of a chair or climbing stairs."
Quality Postsurgical Care
Improved pain control during
surgery means patients can start
therapy more comfortably.
"LCH offers excellent physical
therapy for rehabilitation," Dr. Sobeck
says. "Patients can stay right here in
the Antelope Valley to receive the
same high-quality postsurgical care
they would receive anywhere else."
New Joints, New You
Hip or knee replacement might be the
answer to your pain if:
- Noninvasive treatments, like
medications and physical therapy,
no longer work
- The pain keeps you awake at night
- You have to limit your daily activities