Hip arthroscopy is a minimally invasive way to perform hip surgery. It uses a small arthroscope or camera to look inside the joint while the repair is made with small instruments. Traditionally, a padded post is used in the perineal area to ensure the hip joint stays open during the procedure. Postless hip arthroscopy is a new, cutting-edge technique that eliminates the need for a post by using a special surgical table to create the pull traction on the leg required for the surgery.
“My goal as a surgeon is to provide relief for the patient while minimizing the risk of complications,” said Lycans, an assistant professor at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and orthopaedic surgeon at Marshall Orthopaedics. “Eliminating the post allows for decreased pain post-operatively, less risk for nerve damage and numbness and the potential for a faster recovery when compared to traditional hip arthroscopy.”
Other postless hip arthroscopy advantages include decreased nerve and soft tissue complications, decreased muscle shutdown related to compression against the post, more thorough visualization of the hip joint, and the option for bilateral hip arthroscopies in the same surgical setting, allowing for a quicker recovery.
All the same procedures that traditional hip arthroscopy is used for can be performed without the post.
“To receive this type of surgery, previously, a patient would have to travel to a larger metropolitan area,” said Ali Oliashirazi, M.D., professor and chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. “As an academic medical center, we strive to bring the latest technology to the Tri-State so patients do not have to leave the community for the highest quality care.”
For more information about the procedure or to schedule an appointment, call the Marshall Sports Medicine Institute at 304-691-1880.