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E-mail This StoryA Doctors Hospital at White Rock Lake surgeon is one of handful of doctors in the area trained in a breakthrough hip replacement technique.
Terry Gemas, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Doctors Hospital is one of only approximately 25 surgeons in Dallas and surrounding areas who perform the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) System. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2006, it is the only bone-conserving alternative to total hip replacement surgery.
The Birmingham Hip’s approach preserves more of the patient’s natural bone structure and stability, covering the joint’s surfaces with an all-metal implant that more closely resembles a tooth cap than a hip implant. Rather than replacing the entire hip joint, as in a total hip replacement, hip resurfacing simply shaves and caps a few centimeters of bone within the joint.
About 193,000 hip replacements are done every year. More than 400,000 total or partial hip replacements are performed each year, a number growing as the population ages.
In use outside the United States since 1997, the Birmingham approach has been shown to reduce the post-operative risks of dislocation and inaccurate leg length.
Because the all-metal implant is made from smooth cobalt chrome, it has the potential to last longer than traditional hip implants. More than 80,000 devises have been implanted globally since 1997.
“This is one of the most exciting procedures to come along in years,” Gemas said. “I see hip resurfacing as the ideal solution for many of my young, active patients who suffer from hip pain. As my patients are getting younger and younger, and are staying physically active much later in life, I’ve needed an alternative to total hip replacement that accommodates their age and lifestyle.”
The Birmingham Hip implant is intended for patients suffering from hip pain due to osteoarthritis, dysplasia or avascular necrosis, and for whom total hip replacement may not be appropriate due to their increased level of physical activity. For this reason, most surgeons feel it will be ideal for patients under age 60 who live active lifestyles.
