21st Century Hip Surgery

If your hip has been damaged by arthritis, a fracture or other condition, you are not alone.  An entire generation of baby boomers ─ approximately 77 million adults ─ are at increased risk for developing hip-related conditions.

Forty-three million Americans have already been told they have arthritis or some other rheumatic conditions, and another 23 million people have chronic joint pain symptoms that may require hip replacement surgery, according to the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons.

When every day activities, such as walking, bending, resting or moving your leg, become extremely painful, it is time to visit your physician and discuss the options, one of which could be hip replacement surgery.

Hip replacements are  fairly common with over 285,000 surgeries performed annually. Hip replacement, first performed in 1960, is now one of the most successful surgeries, says the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

A specially-designed surgical table is the newest advancement in hip surgery. The hana® table now allows for hyperextension, adduction and external rotation of the hip to a degree not seen with conventional tables, according to Alexander van der Ven, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Doctors Hospital’s Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine.   The hana® table was originally designed for fracture care, and specifically designed for hip surgery.  Most patients are candidates for surgery on the hana® table, except for patients with an atypical anatomy.

What Makes the hana® Table so Notable

“The table allows the physician to control the patient leg and place it in an ideal position, which makes the surgery easier for the physician and entire surgical team,” says Dr. van der Ven. “The table makes surgery quicker, less invasive and less painful.”

With traditional hip replacement surgery, the surgeon has to cut through major muscles on the side and on the back, causing more pain and more damage. With the hana®table, patients usually have less pain, less damage to the muscles and a faster recovery.

“The real difference is after surgery,” says Dr. van der Ven, “because we are not cutting the muscle tendons the healing process is much faster and less painful. Some people go to rehabilitation, but the majority of patients just go home. With traditional hip surgery, the rehabilitation time is four to six weeks.  With the hana® table, the rehabilitation time is approximately two to four weeks and the patient can walk out of the hospital.”

There are also less restrictions post-surgery with the hana® table. Patients can cross their legs, can bend to put on their shoes and sleep on their side without an abduction pillow – a pillow placed between the legs to prevent movement after traditional hip replacement surgery.

The hana®Table is just one of the several new technological advancements currently being implemented throughout Baptist Health.

For more information about hip replacement surgery at Doctors Hospital Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, call 786.308.2888.