French Hospital has just acquired the Hana, a state-of-the-art hip replacement table that allows a much less invasive way to approach hip surgery. Known as "Anterior Hip Replacement," this technique allows the surgeon to reach and replace the damaged hip joint from the front of the hip, as opposed to the side or back of the hip. This means that the hip can be replaced using the natural interval between the muscles, versus having to disturb the gluteal muscles that attach to the pelvis and femur.
Patients can bend their hip freely and bear full weight almost immediately following surgery. Anterior hip replacement means a smaller incision, faster recovery, reduced pain, and much more rapid return to normal activities than with conventional hip replacement surgery.
Our patient, John DeBacker, rode 65 miles on his bike just nine days after anterior hip replacement. See and hear his story by clicking here.
First performed in Europe in 1947, the procedure and the equipment, including the Hana table, have been perfected. Several physicians on Staff at French Hospital, including James Lawler, MD, Daniel Woods, MD, and N. Birrell Smith, MD, are able to perform the procedure.
The below video is a five minute excerpt presented by French Hospital Orthopedic Surgeon, Daniel Woods, MD. In this video, Dr. Woods demonstrates the benefits of the "NEW Anterior Hip Replacement" procedure.
The entire 48 minute presentation can be viewed by clicking here.