| Q |
My newspaper shows that
there is a doctor in Chicago that does mini-incision hip
replacement. Can you do that? |
| A |
Yes, the doctor in Chicago
has been doing it there for a year. When the article came
out in the newspaper, he had done 28. He takes several
hours and uses 2 incisions. He cannot do the procedure
on all patients.
I have been doing the procedure for 16 years and have
done over 1300. There is just one incision, the surgery
takes 31 minutes and all patients can be done thru the
mini-incision. |
| Q |
Are there less complications
with the mini-incision? |
| A |
Yes, there is. There is
less limping, less greater trochanter bursitis, less blood
transfusion, less infection, less deep vein thrombosis
and pulmonary embolism. |
| Q |
Are there different types
of mini-incisions? |
| A |
Yes. I know of at least
4 types. One requires 2 incisions, one is just in the
front, and 2 are in the buttock area. I have the only
peer reviewed published report of the mini-incision in
the world's literature (Orthopedics and Traumatology,
December 2001) |
| Q |
Are there differences? |
| A |
Yes. Each has some potential
advantage over the others. Nonetheless, they are all improved
over the standard incision. The incision I use is the
only one with enough numbers and time in service to prove
that there are significant advantages. |
| Q |
Can all orthopedic surgeons
do the mini-incision technique? |
| A |
Yes, however not all know
how to do it yet. At a recent meeting, it was suggested
that not all surgeons and not all patients could learn
or have the mini-incision procedure. I reminded the audience
of orthopedic surgeons that if they needed a gall bladder
removal, they would seek a surgeon that could do it through
the scope (mini-abdominal incision)...and if their surgeon
said that it could not be done, they would seek another
surgeon! |
