Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 4)

Hip, New A groundbreaking approach to joint replacement gets patients like Libby King back on their feet quicker ife wL Ne A s a mail carrier for 23 years, Elizabeth “Libby” King was constantly in motion. She worked her route six days a week, climbing in and out of the delivery truck, carrying packages to front doors, picking up and delivering mail in all weather. Four years ago, she began having what she thought was back pain. But she procrastinated on treatment. “I had children and grandchildren to take care of,” she says. “I couldn’t stop. It just wore me down till I was too tired.” King retired in 2010, and finally consulted Mary Jo Albert, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Gwinnett Medical Center. An X-ray showed King’s right hip was the problem. “Over the years,” King says, “the cartilage had worn itself out. It was bone on bone.” Adds Dr. Albert: “In orthopedics, we are always looking for methods to simplify and accelerate recovery. I knew Libby would be a great candidate for anterior approach hip replacement, one of the few recent innovations in joint replacement.” Sparing MuScle With anterior hip replacement, instead of cutting muscles to reach the joint, as is the case in a traditional posterior lateral incision, the surgeon uses spaces between the muscles to reach the joint. Dr. Albert is the first surgeon in the area to learn and perform anterior approach hip replacements. Because the incision does not involve cutting muscles, patients are able to regain normal hip motion without restrictions and without fear of dislocation. “The anterior approach may shorten recovery time,” Dr. Albert adds, “by allowing patients to regain a normal walking gait more quickly than with traditional hip replacement.” In addition to Dr. Albert’s extensive training, Gwinnett Medical Center has invested in a special fracture table to maintain the leg and pelvis in a stable position. “This surgery is performed under X-ray guidance,” Dr. Albert says. “This allows me to fine-tune the position of the prosthesis and equalize leg lengths.” Mary Jo Albert, M.D., is the first surgeon in the area to learn and perform anterior approach hip replacements. 4 Vim & Vigor • W I N TER 2 011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil's Feature
New Hip, New Life
Building Better Heart Care
Back in Action
Supplementary Knowledge
Keys to Survival
Clearing the Air
Mark Harmon of NCIS fame makes 60 look good
This One's For the Girls
Life After a Loss
Do Your Diabetes Homework
Healthy Returns
Prime Time Health
The Future of Breast Health
Growing Generosity
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center