Diana's story
As owner of her own marketing research company, Diana Sable, 60, spends a lot of time traveling for work. But the Chesapeake Bay area resident doesn’t just accumulate frequent flyer miles due to business - “I travel for business and pleasure,” says Diana. “Each year, I like to pick somewhere that I haven’t visited yet and immerse myself in that cultural experience.” To date, Diana has traveled to Africa, Central America, Egypt, and Europe. When not traveling for business or pleasure, Diana likes to play bridge with her 70-and 80-something year-old friends. “We meet 1-3 times a week to play for several hours at a time. We can be very competitive. In fact, several of my friends are accredited at the national level.” In 2007, Diana started to notice she had pain in her left hip due to osteoarthritis. Her doctor took an x-ray, and it showed that she had mild osteoarthritis. “My doctor suggested that I see a pain management specialist to address it.” Fourteen months later, at the end of 2008, Diana found that she was in a great deal of pain. Although she was at the maximum dosage of her pain medication, now all it did was reduce some of her pain for short periods of time. In fact, Diana found herself jealous of her bridge buddies - “I was envious of how these 70 and 80 year-olds could move without the level of debilitation due to pain and stiffness I was feeling!” Diana knew she had to do something. She met with her doctor, who took another x-ray. “Now my x-ray showed that my femur had collapsed into my joint, which was why I was experiencing so much pain,” says Diana. But still she hesitated. “Here I was walking with a cane and I thought ‘I can wait to undergo total hip replacement surgery.’ When I told my doctor that I planned to do this surgery after my trip to Southeast Asia in December, he looked at me and said, ‘No, you need to do this before your trip or you’ll be miserable.’” Fortunately, Diana agreed with her doctor. She met with an orthopaedic surgeon to discuss her treatment options. He described a technique called the Anterior Approach to hip replacement that his partner had been specially trained to perform. Unlike traditional hip replacement surgery, which requires a surgeon to detach major muscles and tissues, the Anterior Approach allows a surgeon to work between the muscles and tissues without detaching them from either the hip or thighbones, potentially reducing the patient recovery time. After this consultation, Diana agreed that the Anterior Approach was the right option for her. The implant her orthopaedic surgeon chose was Pinnacle® Hip Solutions from DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. One study conducted since the device was approved in 2002 observed that an estimated 99.9% of Pinnacle hip components remain in use.1 Only Pinnacle Hip Solutions feature TrueGlideTM 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. One day after her surgery, Diana was able to walk with assistance. Within three days, she was home from the hospital. Diana closely followed her physical therapy plan, and today she can walk and enjoy all of her favorite activities without debilitating hip pain. “What a difference the surgery has made for me,” says Diana. “Before surgery I was housebound, and when I left the house, I had to plan where I parked and walked. I had to use a cane, and I was jealous of my older friends’ mobility! Now my whole attitude is different. My friends notice that my face isn’t drawn in pain and I am more upbeat. My doctor gave me my life back.” Now Diana has traded her physical therapy activities for her regular workouts at the gym. “I’m able to increase my mileage on the treadmill and elliptical machines so that I’m ready for my trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos” says Diana. “I’m so happy now that I can move without pain because I’ll be able to focus on the sights and sounds of the country.” Diana’s story may not be typical. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can determine whether an orthopaedic implant is an appropriate course of treatment. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. The performance of the new joint depends on weight, activity level, age and other factors. Note: Ms. Sable serves as a research consultant to various Johnson & Johnson operating companies.
Reference:
Register Now!
|
