PHOENIX, Dec. 8 Abrazo Media Relations -- Dr. Theodore Firestone, who founded The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale, announces the first ever assurance program for total knee and hip replacement patients.
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The Joint Replacement Center of Scottsdale (http://www.tjrcs.com) specializes in complex joint reconstruction and offers patients a less invasive anterior approach to hip replacement using the HANA table. This less invasive method of total hip replacement surgery dramatically reduces patient's post-op pain and recovery time.
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Dr. Firestone credits Dr. Joel Matta for pioneering the anterior approach technique into the U.S. "Most of us who have adopted the technique were inspired by the dramatic results Dr. Matta was achieving using the anterior approach. He also developed a special table which makes the procedure more reliable."
The anterior approach hip replacement allows the surgeon to access the hip joint from the front as opposed to the lateral (side) or the posterior (back) approach. This way the hip can be replaced without detachment of the muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery.
"With this approach we actually work through the interval of two muscles in the front of the hip," Dr. Firestone said. "I adopted this technique because I was impressed by the easier post-op course and faster return to function as compared to the more conventional approaches. Additionally, using the HANA table allows the use of intra-operative x-ray checks to confirm accurate placement of components at the time of surgery. This method is much more reliable than any computer or navigation system."
This is one of the reasons why Dr. Firestone is developing an assurance program for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery. "With current technology, most first time joint replacements should be good for at least 25 years. It's the early failures that are most troubling to patients and insurance companies alike. I believe it's possible to offer most patients a guarantee on their joint replacement. I'm working with Scottsdale Healthcare Shea to develop a model where patients won't have to worry about the financial hardship of a joint replacement surgery gone bad," Dr. Firestone states.
In a report published in the Journal of Bone and Joint surgery, Dr. Firestone demonstrated that the revisions he performed were done within the first three years after the initial surgery. "I think that most joint replacement specialists would agree that if the joint is functioning well at three years, it should be good for a long time. It's the patients that have a bad result from day one that experience further problems." For more information about Dr. Firestone and The Joint Replacement of Scottsdale visit www.TJRCS.com.
SOURCE Abrazo Media Relations
