To provide more information and answer questions about treatment options for severe hip pain, including the anterior approach to hip replacement, orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Peter Curcione will host free educational seminars on Wednesday, March 17 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Athletic Orthopedic and Reconstructive Center, 3400 Lee Blvd., Suite 105 in Lehigh Acres and Thursday, March 18 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Gulf Coast Medical Center, 13681 Doctors Way in Fort Myers. The topics to be addressed will include:
• Osteoarthritis and causes of hip pain
• Treatment options including the anterior approach to hip replacement
• How hip replacement works, what to expect and recovery
For reservations, call 239-368-8277, ext. 2302. Refreshments will be served. Space is limited.
Hip replacement is a major surgery. While traditional hip replacement involves operating from the side or back of the hip, the direct anterior approach requires a smaller incision, about three to four inches long at the front or anterior of the hip.
For 52-year-old Robert Erkens from Lehigh Acres, daily hip pain is nothing new. Erkens was diagnosed with osteoarthritis more than 12 years ago. What started out as a nagging pain in his hip eventually grew worse over time.
“I have lived in pain for all of these years, afraid of surgery,” says Erkens. “I could barely walk more than a mile throughout the course of a day. It was very limiting to my work and lifestyle.”
Working in the construction industry, Erkens was accustomed to physical labor so when the pain persisted, he made a career change and began working as a casino dealer. Still, the constant pain had him visiting physicians and exploring treatment options.
“I read up on the latest treatments for hip replacement and tried to prepare myself for the inevitable – surgery,” says Erkens. “When I first met Dr. Curcione, I was impressed with his knowledge and experiences with the various treatment options. He was very confident in recommending the anterior approach to hip replacement for me. We discussed the benefits – less risk for dislocation and torn muscles and shorter recovery times and he told me it was a decision that I would not regret.”
In December 2009, after more than a decade of living in pain, Erkens underwent the anterior approach to hip replacement.
“Dr. Curcione was right – I have no regrets,” says Erkens. “While I wish I’d done it sooner, I wasn’t inspired until meeting Dr. Curcione. I feel 20 years younger – I’m exercising, working and enjoying my life again. I feel like I’ve won the lottery.”
Dr. Peter Curcione is an osteopathic physician, a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and a partner in the Athletic Orthopedic and Reconstructive Center. With offices in Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres, Curcione has served patients in Southwest Florida since 1997. His specialty training and interests include joint replacement surgery, including minimally-invasive procedures such as the anterior approach to hip replacement. In addition, Curcione is experienced and trained in treating disorders of the shoulder and the hand, including fracture care, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis care and reconstructive surgery of the hand. He is trained in arthroscopic shoulder surgery, specifically, all arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs and ligament repairs, as well as arthroscopic reconstruction of the shoulder. He takes great care to keep up to date with the most cutting-edge technologies and procedures to optimally serve his patients.
For more information, visit www.bone-fix.com. View a broadcast of how the anterior approach to hip replacement surgery is performed. Also, visit Dr. Curcione’s blog at www.topbonedoc.com and follow him online on Facebook and twitter.com/topbonedoc.
• Osteoarthritis and causes of hip pain
• Treatment options including the anterior approach to hip replacement
• How hip replacement works, what to expect and recovery
For reservations, call 239-368-8277, ext. 2302. Refreshments will be served. Space is limited.
Hip replacement is a major surgery. While traditional hip replacement involves operating from the side or back of the hip, the direct anterior approach requires a smaller incision, about three to four inches long at the front or anterior of the hip.
For 52-year-old Robert Erkens from Lehigh Acres, daily hip pain is nothing new. Erkens was diagnosed with osteoarthritis more than 12 years ago. What started out as a nagging pain in his hip eventually grew worse over time.
“I have lived in pain for all of these years, afraid of surgery,” says Erkens. “I could barely walk more than a mile throughout the course of a day. It was very limiting to my work and lifestyle.”
Working in the construction industry, Erkens was accustomed to physical labor so when the pain persisted, he made a career change and began working as a casino dealer. Still, the constant pain had him visiting physicians and exploring treatment options.
“I read up on the latest treatments for hip replacement and tried to prepare myself for the inevitable – surgery,” says Erkens. “When I first met Dr. Curcione, I was impressed with his knowledge and experiences with the various treatment options. He was very confident in recommending the anterior approach to hip replacement for me. We discussed the benefits – less risk for dislocation and torn muscles and shorter recovery times and he told me it was a decision that I would not regret.”
In December 2009, after more than a decade of living in pain, Erkens underwent the anterior approach to hip replacement.
“Dr. Curcione was right – I have no regrets,” says Erkens. “While I wish I’d done it sooner, I wasn’t inspired until meeting Dr. Curcione. I feel 20 years younger – I’m exercising, working and enjoying my life again. I feel like I’ve won the lottery.”
Dr. Peter Curcione is an osteopathic physician, a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and a partner in the Athletic Orthopedic and Reconstructive Center. With offices in Fort Myers and Lehigh Acres, Curcione has served patients in Southwest Florida since 1997. His specialty training and interests include joint replacement surgery, including minimally-invasive procedures such as the anterior approach to hip replacement. In addition, Curcione is experienced and trained in treating disorders of the shoulder and the hand, including fracture care, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis care and reconstructive surgery of the hand. He is trained in arthroscopic shoulder surgery, specifically, all arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs and ligament repairs, as well as arthroscopic reconstruction of the shoulder. He takes great care to keep up to date with the most cutting-edge technologies and procedures to optimally serve his patients.
For more information, visit www.bone-fix.com. View a broadcast of how the anterior approach to hip replacement surgery is performed. Also, visit Dr. Curcione’s blog at www.topbonedoc.com and follow him online on Facebook and twitter.com/topbonedoc.