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" Dr. Petrella offers State of Art Hip Replacement for faster recovery"
Check out the Thursday edition of the Citrus County Chronicle for Dr. Ron Joseph's latest sports medicine article
First Anterior Approach Hip Replacement in Citrus County
Andrew J. Petrella, M.D. performed the first anterior approach hip replacement surgery Monday, November 1, 2009 at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center on patient Edward Biron.
WHAT IS AN ANTERIOR APPROACH HIP REPLACEMENT?
The anterior approach surgery procedure is a technique that minimizes the pain and time from surgery to recovery. The anterior approach allows the surgeon to reach the hip joint from the front of the hip as opposed to the lateral (side), or the posterior (back) approach, both of which require more muscular dissection. With the anterior approach the hip can be replaced without detachment of muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery. The gluteal muscles that attach to the pelvis and femur are left undisturbed in the anterior approach. Therefore, these muscles do not require a healing process after the surgery.
The anterior approach requires a special table called a Hana table. Seven Rivers Regional made a substantial investment in equipment in order to offer this advanced method to patients in Citrus and surrounding areas. With their unique capability to position the leg for surgery, these tables facilitate the anterior approach.
WHY SHOULD PATIENTS CONSIDER THIS TYPE OF HIP REPLACEMENT?
The merits of the anterior approach procedure are several: 1) significantly decreased risk of post operative hip dislocation; 2) reduced hospital stay; 3) smaller incision 4) faster recovery.
Because there is no disruption of posterior muscles of the hip, dislocations are extremely rare with the anterior approach. Thus, patients are not limited post operatively in regards to motion. More conventional hip replacements require the patients not to fully flex their hips. They can not cross their legs, require special elevated seats, commodes, and pillows between their legs when they sleep. With the anterior approach none of this is necessary.
"The other approaches to hip replacement require more muscular dissection which destabilizes the hip and increases the risk of dislocation," Dr. Petrella explained, comparing conventional hip replacement procedures to the anterior approach. Dr. Petrella and his team of physician assistants, David Newton, PA-C and John Grooms, PA-C trained with prominent joint replacement surgeons in Utah who have performed hundreds of these procedures and had tremendous success and improved patient outcomes.
When asked how he was feeling one day post op patient, Edward Biron replied, “ You can’t beat it. I am up and walking pain free!” Mr Biron added that he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
To learn more about this state of the art procedure contact the team at
Citrus Orthopaedic and Joint Institute
950 N. Avalon Way
Lecanto FL 3446
352-746-2663 (BONE)
Andrew J. Petrella, MD has been practicing in Citrus County for 8 years. He attended medical school at University of Pennsylvania and graduated Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He did his orthopedic residency at Shands at the University of Florida and is board certified by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). He is also a fellow of the AAOS. In addition, Dr. Petrella is the designer of a hip implant that has been used nationwide for over two years. He continues to sit on consultative committees regarding implant design with esteemed colleagues from across the United States.
