Nancy Stewart

Nancy Stewart is full of life. As a young, active woman, she enjoys spending endless hours outdoors gardening, biking and playing with her beloved Golden Retriever. A couple of years ago, she began experiencing a constant pain in her right hip. "At first, I thought it was my back aching or maybe my nerves, so I dealt with the pain," says Nancy.

The pain soon began to interfere with some of Nancy's favorite activities. Nancy recalls, "I had a difficult time tending to my flower bed or taking my dog for an evening walk. I love to shop, but I was getting to the point that I didn't enjoy a day out. Eventually, the pain took over and I found it nearly impossible to sleep."

Nancy waited almost a year before seeing her primary care physician. "Of course I had reservations about seeing the doctor, you never want to hear there is something wrong with you," recalls Nancy.

"I really thought that it was my back that was causing the problem. I never imagined that it was my hip," Nancy says. After an examination, her X-rays showed that she was suffering from osteoarthritis, a condition involving the breakdown of joint cartilage.

"After my diagnosis, I chose to look for an orthopedic specialist," Nancy says. Fortunately, for Nancy, she had someone close to her to assist her in the process. "My husband works for Biomet Orthopedics, so he was very instrumental with helping me choose a surgeon." Nancy wanted to have surgery in a warm climate. "Northern Indiana in January doesn't always offer the best weather," Nancy laughs.

Nancy chose to see Dr. Emerson in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Emerson specializes in total hip replacement surgery utilizing the Anterior Supine Intermuscular (ASI) hip replacement procedure. Unlike traditional hip replacement that uses an incision located on the side of the hip or toward the back of the hip, the ASI approach uses an incision made on the front of the hip. This procedure is designed to reduce the trauma to the tissues surrounding the hip joint.

"I offer this approach to my patients because it preserves the muscles and tendons that are cut with traditional hip replacement techniques. I believe that allows my patients to have less pain, faster recovery, and a quicker return to everyday activities," says Dr. Emerson.

In addition to the ASI technique, Dr. Emerson chose to use a Taperloc® Microplasty™ hip stem. The implant is designed to conserve more bone and tissue than traditional hip implants.

The reduced size of the hip implant enables surgeons to use tissue-sparing techniques with shorter incisions. Nancy remarks, "My scar is only three-inches long. It's very small."

With her new hip, Nancy once again enjoys an active lifestyle. Nancy remarks, "By early May, I had another Golden Retriever puppy and I was back in my garden, enjoying the things I love, pain free!"

This article is meant solely as a human interest story and is not meant to constitute medical advice. Individual results may vary. Surgery involves potential risks and requires recovery time. The life of any joint replacement will depend on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Only an orthopedic surgeon can determine if surgery is right for you. For risks regarding joint replacement, visit www.biomet.com and talk to your orthopedic surgeon.

The persons named in this article have consented to be named and have given Biomet, Inc. the exclusive right to use their personal and medical information for educational purposes.