New Help For Bad Hips

A new type of hip replacement lets people remain active and worry free. Find out more about this medical breakthrough.<br><br>Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of cartilage on the hipbone, leaving bone

Friday, July 30th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A new type of hip replacement lets people remain active and worry free. Find out more about this medical breakthrough.

Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of cartilage on the hipbone, leaving bone to rub against bone. This leads to inflammation and pain. More than 180,000 Americans turn to replacement surgery to relieve the pain, but it can have complications. A new material is now making the procedure better and longer lasting.

Urologist Stephen Butler has been practicing medicine for 24 years. Hip pain nearly caused him to end his practice. "If I came to a parking lot in our garage in the hospital, I counted the steps to where I was going. And I counted how far to the elevator. I counted on surgery. How long am I going to be on my feet?" says Dr. Butler. Butler's medical studies kept him up to date on the hip replacement procedures. His search for a better procedure brought him to Dr. Hugh Morris.

Older joint replacements use cement that can break down and loosen, but Dr. Morris uses a new coating material called Hydroxlapatite. "It's what the hard, firm part of our bone is made of. The advantage is that your body recognizes this material as your own very quickly and forms a very, very, strong bone bond to hip components, says Dr. Morris.

Dr. Morris notes the new hip replacements also become more solid faster. Patients are off of crutches in less than six weeks and they are in less pain. After years of the pain keeping Stephen Butler up at night, he finally looks forward to going to bed. "I'm a champ. I could sleep for the American Olympic team and bring home the gold," he says. The new coating for the device is ideal for younger patients who need a hip replacement. He still recommends the cemented implants for elderly patients or people with weak bones.

For more information, contact:
David Cassidy
Jewett Orthopedic Clinic
1285 Orange Avenue
Winter Park, Florida 32789
Telephone (918) 643-1237