Newton-Wellesley Offers Hip Resurfacing Surgery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWTON-WELLESLEY HOSPITAL SURGEON OFFERING “HIP” ALTERNATIVE TO END ARTHRITIC PAIN, HELP PATIENTS REMAIN ACTIVE

NEWTON, Mass. (October, 2006) – Fifty-year-old Ken Clark of Hopkinton is looking to score big. In fact, he has already scheduled a re-match on the basketball court with his teenage son. Just two weeks after recovering from a hip resurfacing procedure at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Clark is quite anxious to return to his active lifestyle.

Clark was one of the first patients at Newton-Wellesley Hospital to undergo Birmingham Hip Resurfacing, a technology recently FDA-approved as an alternative to total hip replacement. Daniel Snyder, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Newton-Wellesley, is among one of a handful of physicians in the country trained on this new technique. Unlike total hip replacement, which reconstructs the entire hip joint, hip resurfacing simply shaves and caps a few centimeters of bone within the joint. It is a new alternative to traditional hip replacement and now available in the United States.

“My progress so far has been phenomenal,” said Clark, a 29 year veteran of the Hopkinton Fire Department. “I already have a date with my son to play one-on-one in about six months. If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is. “Thanks to Dr. Snyder, I’m going to make that happen.”

Hip resurfacing is intended for active adults between the ages of 40 and 60 years who are suffering from hip pain due to osteoarthritis, developmental dysplasia, and avascular necrosis (when poor blood circulation starves the bones that form the hip joint, causing the bone to die and hip joint to collapse).

This particular “Birmingham” approach preserves more of the patient’s natural bone structures and stability, covering the joint’s surfaces with an all-metal ball and socket joint that more closely resembles a tooth cap than a hip implant. Traditional hip replacements use a metal ball and plastic socket. The plastic socket wears down over time, and may need to be replaced. In fact, according to Dr. Snyder, it is the leading cause of follow-up surgeries. Other benefits of hip resurfacing include the reduction of post-operative dislocation and inaccurate leg length, as well as shorter recovery times.

Clark’s problems started over 20 years ago when he fell off a roof during a routine fire call. Then, several years later, he injured himself again while playing in a football fundraiser. After enduring severe hip pain over the last three years, Clark finally decided he needed to seek medical attention. “While I was coaching basketball for my youngest son, a mother of another player noticed that I was in pain. That’s when she recommended that I go see Dr. Snyder,” he said.

“This is one of the most exciting procedures I’ve seen in years,” said Dr. Snyder, who has been on the Newton-Wellesley Hospital medical staff since 1985. “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 staying physically active much later in life, I’ve needed an alternative to total hip replacement that accommodates their age and lifestyle.”

Dr. Snyder specializes in reconstructive surgery of the hip, knee and shoulder with expertise in minimally invasive surgery. A leading surgeon in treating young, active patients with hip and knee arthritis, Dr. Snyder has been involved in joint replacement research and total joint prosthetic design. He was trained in the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing method in Birmingham, England and operated with the original designer and developer Derek McMinn. Within the year, Dr. Snyder hopes to train other physicians in the area on this new technique.

Orthopaedic surgery is one of Newton-Wellesley’s largest clinical services. Our sports medicine specialists treat athletes of all ability levels, from youth and “weekend warriors” to professionals. General orthopaedic care is available for virtually all skeletal problems form the neck to the feet. Our hand surgery specialists can provide care for conditions from your elbows to the tips of your fingers. Our Orthopaedic Service is supported by the hospital’s state-of-the-art Radiology Department, Rehabilitation Services Department and Pain Management Clinic if needed.

The amount of patients we treat plays a critical role in successful surgical outcomes at Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The Orthopaedic Service performed over 4,000 surgical procedures last year. Our orthopaedic surgeons have extensive training and experience and are board certified in their fields. Working in partnership with the Boston Athletic Association, Newton-Wellesley Hospital is an official medical provider of The Boston Marathon providing pre and post-marathon services to athletes participating in the event.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital is a full system member of Partners HealthCare System, Inc. (PHCS), a nonprofit organization that includes acute care hospitals Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's/Faulkner Hospitals, The North Shore Medical Center, and specialty hospitals McLean Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare, and the community-based doctors and hospitals of Partners Community HealthCare, Inc.

Newton-Wellesley Hospital provides a wide range of services, including medical, surgical, obstetrical, orthopaedic, neonatal, pediatric and psychiatric care. Newton-Wellesley has been serving its community for over a century. The medical staff of the hospital includes nearly 1,000 physicians practicing a full range of specialties. NWH is a major teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine and also has established post-graduate training programs for Harvard Medical School residents.

CONTACT: 
Rachel Kagno
Public Affairs & Marketing
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
617-243-6528
rkagno@partners.org