Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute Offers New Procedure For Hip Pain

Main Category: Bones / Orthopaedics
Also Included In: Pain / Anesthetics
Article Date: 26 Sep 2007 - 19:00 PDT

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The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institutes' Kenneth J. Westerheide, MD is one of the only Ohio surgeons trained to perform a new outpatient procedure called hip arthroscopy. For those suffering from serious hip pain, this procedure may postpone the need for hip replacement surgery or eliminate it altogether.

Dr. Westerheide recently performed arthroscopy on both hips of Ohio kindergarten teacher Helen Raines.

"As a kindergarten teacher, I need to be on the floor with the kids - and I wasn't able to do that," said Raines. She started noticing pain in her left hip in 2005, which led to months of X-rays, MRIs and research.

"I noticed pain in simple, everyday movements; it was hard to get in and out of the car and I had trouble sleeping at night," recalled 49-year-old Raines. She was finally diagnosed with a labral tear in her hip joint.

An orthopaedic surgeon and friend of the family suggested she seek a hip arthroscopy, but warned her that many doctors are not trained to perform this new procedure and referred her to a surgeon in Vail, Colorado. The doctor was out-of-network and her insurance refused to cover the procedure. It was through her appeals process with the insurance company that she found Dr. Westerheide - 18 months after the onset of her pain.

Following the outpatient procedure on her left hip in July 2006, Raines was on crutches for one week and pain free and back to normal activities in ten weeks. "I could move my left hip in ways I hadn't been able to in years," she said.

"During the procedure small holes are made in the patient's hip area. Through these openings, the arthroscope and specialized tools are inserted to clean out debris and inflammation," described Dr. Westerheide. This is intended to prevent further deterioration of the joint and relieve pain.

Months later she started experiencing similar discomfort in her right hip and immediately saw Dr. Westerheide. With the same diagnosis, she had no hesitations seeking a second hip arthroscopy in May 2007.

"This procedure is common among active individuals in their 30's and 40's, although I've treated athletes as young as 19," said Dr. Westerheide. "Patients generally experience quicker recovery time and the degree of risk is less than that associated with a hip dislocation procedure, where a large incision can compromise blood flow."

A specialist in sports medicine, Dr. Westerheide has unique expertise in hip, shoulder, and knee arthroscopy including repair of torn rotator cuffs, shoulder instability repair, and ACL reconstructions. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. He received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and then his Orthopaedic training at the University of Pittsburgh. He then completed a Sports Medicine and Shoulder Arthroscopy fellowship in Los Angeles, CA at the renowned Southern California Orthopaedic Institute.

Dr. Westerheide's research interests include arthroscopic shoulder surgery for unstable shoulders, and shoulder ganglion cysts, and long-term results for ACL reconstructions. He is a member of the Arthroscopy Association of North America, and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute has eight locations in Central Ohio, including a new location in Hilliard, plus offices in Gahanna/Reynoldsburg, Grove City, Powell, Westerville, downtown Columbus and on the Mount Carmel West campus. With 25 physicians, the Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute is the largest orthopaedic practice in the central Ohio area.

Appointments with the Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute's physicians can be scheduled at 614-864-9666.

The Cardinal Orthopaedic Institute treats patients of every age, from newborns through the mature senior population. The practice has specialists in general orthopaedics, neck and spine, hand and upper extremity, foot and ankle, total joint replacement and reconstruction, sports medicine, knee, shoulder and scoliosis. More information regarding the practice can be found on their Web site at http://www.cardinalortho.com.