Earl Goldberg had constant pain in the back of his leg. This was really a setback for the active 79-year old Munster resident who exercises daily at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe®, played sports in school, and still likes to keep up with his two grandsons.
“I was playing golf and as I turned to swing, I felt as though I had pulled a muscle,” he explains. “Eventually, I couldn’t move or go anywhere, and I knew then that I was in trouble.”
Goldberg knew a bit about hip replacement because just five years before, his wife Harriet had traditional hip replacement surgery. She had a large incision that ran the length of the side of her thigh, and her recovery was long.
He heard that the orthopedic surgeons at Community Hospital were using a less invasive technique. Goldberg scheduled an appointment.
“We combined a less-invasive anterior approach with OrthoView® software to help us achieve the best possible fit,” says Orthopedic Surgeon Gregory McComis, MD. “The anterior approach is a tissue-sparing alternative to traditional hip replacement with less pain, faster recovery and improved mobility because the muscle tissues are left alone. When combined with the OrthoView imaging template, any guesswork in shape, angle and resizing of the thighbone during the procedure is eliminated and the patient gets a custom-built joint.”
This technique only takes about half the time of a traditional replacement and recovery is shorter with less blood loss during the procedure, less risk for infection and fewer complications, McComis says.
“Everyone was wonderful,” says Goldberg. “My care was excellent and I was up and walking just hours after surgery. Best of all, I have no more pain in my hip.”
Find out how orthopedic care at the hospitals of Community Healthcare System can get you moving pain free again.
