Kansas City Surgeon to Perform Revolutionary Hip Procedure During Live Webcast

MERRIAM, Kan., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- There's new hope for younger, active patients who experience frequent hip pain but are not yet ready to concede to full hip replacement.

Shawnee Mission Medical Center, located in suburban Kansas City, will be the first hospital in the world to showcase a new, less invasive approach to hip replacement during a live surgical Webcast on Wednesday, September 20, at 7 p.m. CDT. During the Webcast, Scott Cook, MD, will perform the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) technique. Cook is one of just 40 doctors in the United States trained to do the procedure.

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. The bone-conserving approach of the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System preserves more of the patient's natural bone structures and stability, covering the joint's surfaces with an all-metal implant that more closely resembles a tooth cap than a hip implant. This approach reduces the post- operative risks of dislocation and inaccurate leg length, and because the all- metal implant is made from tough, smooth cobalt chrome, it has the potential to last longer than traditional hip implants, which involved the removal of the entire femoral head and neck. The Birmingham Hip resurfacing technique, however, leaves the head and neck untouched.

"This is one of the most exciting procedures I've seen in years," explains Cook. "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 Resurfacing System is that alternative."

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 non-sedentary lifestyles.

To access the live surgical Webcast, logon to http://www.shawneemission.org/ . In addition, the procedure will be archived on the site and available for viewing after the surgery.