Dr. Stephen Kayiaros of UOA talks About One of His Signature Procedures

One of the great recent advances—Minimally Invasive Anterior Hip Replacement—is currently available at UOA.

Between 200,000 and 300,000 total hip replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States, 65 percent of them on people over the age of 65, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Conditions causing severe pain such as arthritis, have lead to younger patients needing hip replacement.

 

This incision is about 3 to 4 inches long but may be longer depending on the patient’s body size. More important than the size of the incision is the trauma to the soft tissues underneath. While a very small incision may be attractive to patients, it can unduly cause tension and force on the tissues underneath during the surgery. The muscle preservation of anterior hip replacement is what truly makes this procedure minimally invasive. In addition, because the patient lies on their back during the operation, the surgeon uses live intraoperative x-rays to ensure proper positioning of the hip replacement and to accurately correct the leg lengths.

The risk of dislocation is also decreased with this approach. Conventional hip surgery typically requires that most patients must follow strict precautions for 6 to 8 weeks following surgery. They must not flex the hip more than 90 degrees, which can be limiting in terms of doing normal activities, such as sitting, bending or getting in or out of a car. Climbing stairs may also be difficult during recovery. With anterior hip replacement, patients are instructed to bend their hip freely immediately following surgery and use their hip without such strict limitations. It facilitates quicker return to normal function and activities.

All prospective hip replacement patients need a thorough evaluation with their orthopaedist to determine if they are candidates for this procedure.

According to Dr. Stephen Kayiaros,

“I was fortunate to be instructed in performing this procedure during my residency and I received further specialized training in it during my fellowship. I believe it is truly muscle preserving, and is a more functional approach to total hip replacement. Another advantage is that I know immediately in the operating room the position and the fit of the hip replacement components by using fluoroscopic x-ray. This instantaneous feedback also allows me to more accurately determine, correct and equalize the leg lengths. I have seen the speed at which patients recover from it and it’s truly remarkable–and they love not having to adhere to postoperative precautions, which is a huge plus. It’s not uncommon to have patients wanting to go home as early as the day after surgery. I am excited and enthusiastic about bringing this procedure to UOA and developing it because it is a cutting-edge technique with the potential to accelerate and enhance the recovery from total hip replacement.”