Patients whose hips have been damaged by arthritis, fracture or other conditions are at risk of developing chronic hip pain. Chronic hip pain can be debilitating and hinder patients from performing the simplest tasks. Everyday activities such as walking, getting in and out of a chair or even putting on socks can become challenging. Often, chronic hip pain will cause discomfort even while resting.

For many patients, the answer to chronic hip pain is surgery.  Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) Orthopedic Surgeon Kevin Pugh, MD, is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery in Orthopedic Surgery, specializing in hip and knee replacements and revision hip and knee replacements.

Dr. Pugh performs total hip replacement surgery using an anterior approach to the front of the hip joint as opposed to the lateral (side) or posterior (back) of the hip.  Dr. Pugh uses the Hana Table, a state-of-the-art fracture table, to optimize the anterior approach for a total hip replacement.

“The Hana Table allows us to make the anterior approach. This means decreased length of stay, smaller incisions and improvement of patient mobility,” explained Dr. Pugh.  “Unlike surgery options in the past, using the Hana Table enables patients to bend up to 90 degrees within a couple of hours.”   He added that patients generally see less blood loss, smaller incisions and typically go home sooner.

PMC is one of the very few medical centers using the Hana Table and has two tables for surgery. Most patients needing a total hip replacement are candidates to undergo surgery using the Hana Table.

Often, people who are candidates for hip replacement surgery have:

  • Hip pain that limits everyday activities, such as walking or bending
  • Hip pain that continues while resting, either day or night
  • Stiffness in a hip that limits the ability to move or lift the leg
  • Inadequate pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, or walking supports

For more information on the PMC Orthopedic Center or schedule an appointment, call (606) 430-2206.