Bonnie's Story

Golf and Travel Enthusiast Resumes Active Lifestyle Following the Anterior Approach to Total Hip Replacement

Bonnie, 77, is not one to slow down. When she and her husband, Tom, are not at work actively managing their real estate investment business, she can be found on the golf course, entertaining, taking her six grandchildren to museums, or traveling around the world.  

In 2006, Bonnie found she was in such intense pain that walking for more than a few minutes became difficult, and eventually she could no longer play golf. Her husband had to do the grocery shopping because Bonnie could no longer push a cart, and in addition to her limited mobility, she felt continuously nauseous from the pain. 

The turning point came for Bonnie when she had to leave one of her favorite holiday parties early due to nausea and back pain. She met with her doctor, and a series of X-rays showed that the source of her pain wasn’t actually due to back problems – it was her hips. The cartilage in both hips had completely worn down, and razor sharp bone spurs in her right hip were contributing to the pain.

“My family doctor referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon, who told me that both hips needed to be replaced and asked me if I wanted to do the surgeries separately or at the same time,” Bonnie said. “I’m one of those people who start something and have to finish it. I decided if I was going to have the surgery, I may as well have both hips replaced at the same time.”

Bonnie’s orthopaedic surgeon recommended using the Anterior Approach to hip replacement. Unlike traditional hip replacement surgery, the Anterior Approach allows a surgeon to work between the muscles and tissues without detaching them from either the hip or thigh bones, potentially reducing recovery time. After consulting with her orthopaedic surgeon, they agreed that the Anterior Approach to hip replacement was a good choice for Bonnie.

The day before her surgery, Bonnie realized she’d made the right decision by not prolonging surgery any further. Bonnie needed a few things from the grocery store and her husband wasn’t home, so she decided to make the trek herself. Even though she pushed a shopping cart for only a few moments, she was in terrible pain by the time she got back to the car. “As I was driving home, I suddenly realized I couldn’t lift my foot off the gas,” Bonnie explained. “The pain was so intense that I had to lift my leg with my hands to move my foot. Fortunately, I was only a few minutes from home, but it was a scary experience.”  

For her hip replacements, Bonnie’s doctor chose Pinnacle® Hip Solutions with TrueGlide™ technology from DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. Only Pinnacle Hip Solutions feature TrueGlide^TM technology, allowing the body to create a thin film of lubrication between surfaces.  The result is a more fluid range of natural motion that more closely matches the feeling and movement of a natural hip.

The day after surgery, Bonnie noticed that her nausea was completely gone. Within a day of the surgery, she was out of bed and beginning to move around with help from the hospital staff.  She returned home four days later, and over the next few weeks, began gradually moving with the help of a walker. After two weeks she was using only a cane, and within two months of her surgery she was walking unaided and driving without pain.  A couple of months later, Bonnie played 18 holes of golf for the first time in years. 

Today, Bonnie has returned to her active lifestyle.  She has taken a river cruise through Russia and traveled to Costa Rica. “Now I’m able to get on with my life,” Bonnie said.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Bonnie’s story may not be typical. The performance of a hip replacement depends on your age, weight, activity level and other factors. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. People with conditions limiting rehabilitation should not have this surgery. Only an orthopedic surgeon can tell if hip replacement is right for you.

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