Tuesday, April 3, 2009
New procedure offers arthritic patients the opportunity to return to their active lifestyle
Lawrence Iwersen, MD, Flathead Orthopedics offers hip resurfacing surgery to active Baby Boomers sidelined by arthritis. Dr. Iwersen performs this state-of-the-art procedure to help men and women get back to the outdoor or sports activities they love, with more freedom of movement and less chance of dislocation than hip replacement surgery.
A relatively small number of U.S. orthopedic surgeons are trained to perform hip resurfacing surgery. “Hip resurfacing is relatively new in the United States, though it’s been done in Europe for more than 10 years,” says Dr. Iwersen. Dr. Iwersen, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement, has been performing hip resurfacing surgery since 2007 and hip replacement for over 20 years. “Hip resurfacing reshapes the head of the thighbone or femur and resurfaces it with a cobalt chromium metal cap much like capping a tooth,” Dr. Iwersen explains. “The femoral head is resurfaced preserving most of the bone rather than removing and replacing it as in hip replacement surgery.
In hip resurfacing, a metal cup replaces the damaged surface of the hip socket without the use of bone cement for fixation. The resurfaced thighbone is almost identical to the size of the natural bone, which can give more stability than a smaller size.
“Resurfacing is often a good choice for younger patients. It preserves more of the femoral bone.” Dr. Iwersen explains. “Preserving more of the natural bone is important if patients need more hip surgery in the future.”
“Hip resurfacing isn’t for every patient with hip arthritis,” Dr. Iwersen advises, “but it can be a wise choice for active patients under age 60 who have good bone quality and suffer from arthritis.” Learn more about Dr. Lawrence Iwersen or contact us to set up an appointment.