We are seeing many anterior total hip replacement patients who travel from other countries and other states in the US. Patients from Canada and Mexico are well represented here in Scottsdale. The anterior hip procedure is hard to find in these two countries. ( Apparently it is done by a few surgeons, but not enough to fill the need!). Now that I have done over 1000 of the anterior total hip replacement procedures, I fully understand why so many people are willing to undergo the inconvenience and expense of leaving home to get this done. The results I am seeing are better than what I saw for many, many years doing the posterior hip approach. I was skeptical at first, as new is not always better. But as I watched my anterior hip replacement patients recover, I could see the increased satisfaction in their faces. The pain was a fraction of the pain I saw in my posterior hips. Many patients said they had NO PAIN at all. How is that possible I asked myself?
Well it turns out that with the anterior total hip replacement, we operate through a truly “internervous” tissue plain. That means the soft tissue on one side of the incision is innervated by one nerve, and the soft tissue on the other side is innervated by another different nerve. This leads to a “space” in between where there are no nerve fibers, and therefore no pain. We do cut the bones, but apparently with a surgical cut, there is not much pain that comes from the bones in adults. Children have a soft tissue layer over their bones call periosteum, which does have nerve endings in it. Adults however, no longer have periosteum around their bones. The hip capsule – which is made of ligaments, does have nerve endings in it, but we cut a hole in the front of the capsule that avoids the tugging of a repaired ligament, and the pain is much decreased. This “hole” however, needs a bout 3 months to fully fill in as the hip heals. That is why there are a minimum amount of hip precautions to follow post-operatively. It is possible to pop your hip out after surgery, but the odds are less than 1 in 100 hips!. (In men the odds are about 1 in 500 hips!). Simple advise is to avoid he most extreme positions of full flexion and hyperextension, which is easily accomplished while still doing almost all of your normal daily activities.
It is much easier to travel, when you do not have pain! It is easier to travel when you are not worried about positional restrictions. It is nice to know that if you do travel to Scottsdale, you and your family can actually enjoy the trip! Scottsdale really is a great place to visit and live! Some of my patients will return once a year to have a pleasant vacation here. Gerry McCann in my office will help you set up all aspects of your travel plans to Scottsdale. Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn – where Dr. Kozinn does his anterior total hip replacement surgeries, has a special reduced rate for international travelers who are not using traditional health insurance to pay their bills. ( Right now 7/13/14, the hospital rate for an anterior total hip replacement is $22,000 for up to 3 nights in the hospital. Most patients don’t require the 3 nights, but some will stay because the help they get in the hospital is better than what they may receive at a hotel.) The individual physicians involved in your care will also charge a fee, separate from the hospital charge. Gerry will explain all of this to you- her number is 480-994-1149 at the office.
We usually like patients to stay in town about a week. This maximizes our ability to make sure everything is A-OK before you leave. Dr. Kozinn will give you his personal cell phone number an e-mail address so that you may remain in close contact after the surgery, regardless of where you are. Some patients, feel so good after their surgery, that they leave after only a few days here. Dr. Kozinn has had many patients discharged to home on the same day of surgery after an anterior total hip replacement . The regional anesthesia and pain blocks we use make you feel very good, very fast! We understand the increased anxiety about travelling away from home for surgery, and we will do everything we possibly can to make it easier for you. If you like, we can give you the phone number of a patient from your area that has already gone through the process.
Please go to our Facebook pages ( www.Facebook.com/ScottsdalejointCenter ), and scroll down to see many of our satisfied travelers and local patients. The anterior total hip replacement is a very special procedure, and we do it especially well here in Scottsdale.! After to make initial contact with Gerry McCann at480 994 1149, she will tell you how to send your xrays for Dr. Kozinn to review. Dr. Kozinn will call you to discuss his opinion, before you make your final decision to come to visit. We want to make your experience as successful and enjoyable as possible!