Hip Resurfacing Techniques Offer Alternative To Total Hip Replacement for Local Resident Scott Fields

Kenosha, WI, April 20, 2008

NEW SOLUTION FOR ACTIVE PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM HIP PAIN

Baby boomers with hip pain who want to stay active in their later decades now have an alternative to hip replacement surgery without its inherent limitations.  A new surgical option, called hip resurfacing, is offered to middle age people who have osteoarthritis in the hip and want to return to outdoor sports, such as biking, golf, hiking, skiing, swimming, fishing and tennis and other sports that have been curtailed because of the pain.

Meet West Allis resident Scott Fields, who was an avid racquetball player and runner clocking at least 25 hours a week, chose hip resurfacing because he didn’t want to give up his active lifestyle.

“Hip resurfacing was the best move I ever made,” he admits. ”I was walking two days after surgery and after six weeks of rehab, I was remarkably better.  Now I am back to work in shipping and receiving and  playing tennis and going mountain biking.  I plan to do the Multiple Sclerosis 150-mile bike ride beginning in Waukesha, WI,  on August 9 and 10.“

Joint replacement patients can learn more about the latest and most advanced options available to them during a clinic, Sunday, May 18, at the LakeView RecPlex,  presented by Scott’s physician, Mitchell Sheinkop, M.D.  Dr. Sheinkop is a renowned orthopedic surgeon and director of joint replacement surgery at the Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago (NOHC), and has performed more than 20,000 joint replacement surgeries.  Some of his patients include former Chicago White Sox outfielder Albert Belle and former Chicago Bears player and coach, Mike Ditka.  Although recognized for his pioneering contributions to today's traditional hip and knee replacement techniques, he also specializes in the new joint replacement procedures that allow young, athletic patients to return to full activity.

The procedure, which involves reshaping the head of the femur (bone in the upper leg) and capping it with a smooth metal ball, rather than sacrificing the bone, has a quicker recovery time than total hip replacement where the worn bone is cut away, a metal stem is placed inside the femur and the hip socket is replaced. 
Dr. Sheinkop was Field’s surgeon and is presently the only physician using an intra-operative navigating technique in combination with the hip resurfacing procedures, which allows a surgeon better accuracy in placing the prosthesis in conjunction with a minimally invasive incision.

 “As patients are staying physically active much later in life, this procedure is an excellent substitute for total hip replacement because it accommodates their age and lifestyle, without the restrictions of standard arthroplasty,” says Dr. Sheinkop.   “A good analogy for hip resurfacing is the dentist who removes the cavity and caps the tooth.  Replacement would be removing the tooth and implanting the prosthesis.  It involves more pain, a longer recuperation time and more follow-up visits. ”
The British-designed Birmingham Hip Resurfacing™ System, was approved by the FDA for the U.S. market in March of 2006.  NOHC is one of a few centers in the country and two in the Midwest to offer both the Birmingham system as well as the new investigational Biomet Recap® Total Hip Resurfacing System, the latter of which is under clinical study and expected to receive FDA approval sometime this year.  

Dr. Sheinkop admits the parts involved in any hip implant procedure will eventually wear out and if a patient is getting a hip resurfacing at age 52, it is likely that by the time the patient turns 75, he may need another procedure.  Resurfacing the hip, however, allows surgeons the ability to perform a subsequent primary hip replacement procedure rather than a revision total hip replacement.

Hip resurfacing is intended for patients suffering from hip pain due to osteoarthritis, dysplasia or avascular necrosis. Most surgeons feel it will be ideal for patients under age 65 who live active lifestyles.  More than 400,000 total hip replacements are performed in the United States annually according to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.  The resurfacing alternative offers the promise of a joint that my hold up even better than hip replacement to the active lifestyles of today’s baby boomers without restriction.

The Neurologic & Orthopedic Hospital of Chicago is the country's only freestanding acute care hospital dedicated exclusively to  neuroscience and orthopedic services. It utilizes breakthrough technology and minimally invasive techniques as well as advanced procedures for neurosurgery, orthopedics, pain management, neuro-oncology, sports medicine, and rehabilitation.
For more information on hip resurfacing at NOHC, call: 773-250-1000 or visit www.neuro-ortho.org.