Word Is Spreading

From the 2010 Winter StayHealthy publication

“It’s really gratifying to see someone limp into our offices one day and be almost pain free right after surgery. In fact, one of my patients was out on the golf course just 42 hours after I replaced his hip,” shared Michael Leland, MD.

Performing this type of surgery since the spring of 2008, Leland and fellow orthopedic surgeon David Musgrave, MD, have treated nearly 200 patients. “I researched this technique for many years before offering it to our patients at Porter,” Leland explained. “Dr. Musgrave and I are pleased with the results we are seeing, and the patients are very enthusiastic with their outcomes.”

Porter is the only hospital in Northwest Indiana to offer the minimally invasive anterior approach for hip replacement. The technique allows Leland and Musgrave to access the hip joint from the front instead of from the side or the back. In so doing, no muscle is detached, which means the recovery time is shorter than in patients who have had traditional hip replacement surgery. “It’s really gratifying to see someone limp into our offices one day and be almost pain free right after surgery. In fact, one of my patients was out on the golf course just 42 hours after I replaced his hip,” Leland shared.

In addition to word of mouth being an excellent referral source, Leland also feels the care patients receive at Porter is a driving force. As he explained, “We have well-trained doctors performing surgery at Porter. We are a teaching hospital but not in the sense of having a residency program. Dr. Musgrave and I personally do the complete surgery on our patients. We don’t turn our surgery over to residents who are trying to learn a particular skill. There’s a lot to be said for experience,” Leland concluded.

At Porter’s Joint Replacement Center, the focus is completely on the highest standard of patient care and safety. Citing the quality of postoperative care patients receive as one reason outcomes are so good at Porter, Leland said, “The level of care everyone delivers at Porter is just outstanding.” While the anterior approach to hip replacement is a tremendous advancement, Leland pointed out that technology is never stagnant and it is constantly improving. “Right now we are fine tuning our pain management and post operative therapy programs,” he said. “And, Dr. Musgrave and I will be traveling to the Texas Center for Joint Replacement in Plano, Texas soon.” While in Texas, Leland and Musgrave will spend a day in surgery with Dr. Roger Emerson, one of the foremost clinical researchers in the field of hip and knee reconstruction. Emerson helped develop a number of prosthetic implants with the Biomet Corporation, including the hip prosthesis used at Porter. “By sharing ideas with Dr. Emerson, Dr. Musgrave and I hope to further refine our own techniques,” commented Leland.

As word continues to spread and as Porter and its physicians continue to offer the latest technology and the most advanced techniques, the residents of Porter County as well as those from far and wide will have access to a healthcare system of unmatched excellence.