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Finding the right orthopedic surgeon
Still, as beneficial as the surgery was, the decision to have it wasn’t
easy. Stevens previously had knee replacement surgery done
elsewhere. It wasn’t as successful as she’d hoped. So proceeding
with yet another joint replacement surgery made her anxious.
She searched carefully for a doctor she could trust completely. That’s
how she found Dr. Diana, a senior surgeon at St. Helena Coon Joint
Replacement Institute. “He was very generous with his time,” she
says. “He thoroughly answered all of my questions. He wasn’t merely
meticulous and skilled; he was caring.”
Direct anterior approach
What’s more, Dr. Diana said he
could perform her surgery using
an anterior approach. That’s
something most orthopedic
surgeons in this country are not
yet trained to do.
Typically, doctors enter the hip
from either the back or side and
must cut through major muscle
groups. But in the anterior
approach, doctors enter from
the front of the hip and stretch
muscles apart — rather than cut them. “As a result, patients usually
recover much faster and have less pain with the direct anterior
approach,” says Dr. Diana, who specializes in both minimally
invasive hip and knee surgeries.
I can move freely
again and even keep
up with students
on the playground.
The surgery was
transforming.
“
“
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Smaller incision, faster recovery,
more stability
The direct anterior approach procedure
for total hip replacement has been gaining
popularity recently due to its potential benefits:
That struggle took place just days before John N. Diana, MD,
performed her minimally invasive anterior approach hip replacement
surgery at St. Helena Coon Joint Replacement Institute. Stevens will
never forget the pain she felt and the effort of each step. Today that
hip pain, the result of severe arthritis, is only a memory.
n
Possible accelerated recovery time because key
muscles are not detached during the operation.
(Some other procedures require cutting or
disturbing the important muscles at the side or
back of the leg.) The direct anterior approach is
known as a tissue-sparing procedure because it
avoids cutting these key muscles and tissues and
therefore minimizes muscle damage.
n
Potential for fewer restrictions during recovery.
Although each patient responds differently, this
procedure seeks to help patients more freely bend
their hip and bear their full weight immediately
or soon after surgery.
n
Possible reduced scarring because the technique
allows for one relatively small incision.
n
Potential for stability of the implant sooner after
the surgery, resulting in part from the fact that
the key muscles and tissues are not disturbed
during the operation.
John N. Diana, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon
Every surgical approach has risks and benefits. The performance of
a hip replacement depends on your age, weight, activity level and
other factors. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. Only
an orthopedic surgeon can tell if hip replacement is right for you.
Stevens can’t believe how quickly she healed. “The surgery was at
6 a.m., and at 2 p.m. I took my first steps. I went home the next day,
with little pain. I drove on day seven,” she says. Then she adds, “I’m
independent again. That means the world to me.”
