Marin General Hospital Launches Hip Preservation Program
GREENBRAE, CA – Marin General Hospital has launched a highly innovative Hip Preservation Program focused on treating the unique hip problems affecting children, adolescents, and young adults. Marin General Hospital is the only hospital in the North Bay to offer such a program.
While most are aware of the success of hip replacement surgery, particularly in older adults suffering from hip pain due to arthritis, less are aware of the conditions affecting younger individuals such as teens and active adults not yet ready for hip replacement. Such conditions as labrum tears (tears of the cartilage surrounding the hip joint), which occur with repeated bending or flexing of the hip among athletes, dancers or those that practice yoga, can easily be identified through diagnostic tools such as MRI. Other conditions such as hip impingement syndrome (abnormal bony prominences on the hip joint) and hip dysplasia (shallow hip socket) typically can cause disruptions to or even a cessation of a favorite activity. Untreated, these conditions could lead to early arthritis and may require a total hip replacement well before expected.
Hip preservation is a new approach to the conditions and diseases of the hip, offering physicians and patients a range of options to treat hip pain, prevent the development of early arthritis, and restore mobility and strength. Hip preservation offers such advances in surgery as minimally invasive hip arthroscopy, periacetabular and proximal femoral osteotomies, hip resurfacing, or minimally invasive hip replacement, allowing patients to return to sports, work and daily activities quickly.
“There is good news for young and active adults with hip pain,” said orthopedic surgeon, Michael Hellman, MD. “No longer is hip replacement a requisite. There are now many highly effective preventative measures those suffering with hip pain can undertake to stave off pain now or in the future. Marin General Hospital’s Hip Preservation Program offers the latest techniques from minimally invasive surgery to non-surgical options—to prevent serious hip injuries from occurring or worsening and keeping active patients on their feet and moving pain free.”
For additional information about Marin General Hospital’s Hip Preservation Program visit our ortho page.
