As an aging population continues to increase the demand for total hip replacements across the United States, HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital and Prevea Health in Sheboygan are offering a new and alternative approach to the procedure allowing patients to recover and return to normal activities faster.
The HANA® table, which was recently added to the growing fleet of surgical technology at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital, is the only surgical table designed exclusively to improve a surgeon’s accessibility and visibility of the hip during the replacement procedure. It allows the surgeon to access to the hip joint from the front of the hip (anterior) rather than from the side (lateral) or back (posterior). Through the anterior approach, the hip can be replaced without cutting through major muscle groups that surround the joint. This results in a less invasive procedure with a reduced recovery time, and less discomfort which can lead to improved long-term outcomes.
“Most patients are able to go home the same day following surgery,” says Dr. Patrick Riggle, a Prevea Health orthopedic surgeon that performs total hip replacement procedures at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital. “In most cases, they are able to go up and down stairs even before leaving the hospital.”
“Joints begin to wear out as people age, gain weight, become inactive and experience minor traumas over the years. It can become a very painful and debilitating condition, and so a total hip replacement can significantly improve one’s quality of life,” says Dr. Riggle. “We are excited to now be able to offer this new and less-invasive approach to our patients. More traditional methods of hip replacement surgery may still be most optimal for others, however, and so it is best to discuss all options with your physician.”
The HANA table for total hip replacement is the newest addition to HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital’s surgical care offerings and follows the announcement of the hospital’s implementation of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System in October 2022. The da Vinci Xi Surgical System, one of the most advanced robotic surgery technologies available in the world today is used by Prevea Health surgeons at HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital to provide minimally-invasive surgical care for hysterectomy, endometriosis, enlarged prostate, adrenal gland tumors and more in the medical specialties of urology and women’s care.
HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital’s sister-hospital in Green Bay, HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, also utilizes the HANA Table and the da Vinci Xi Surgical System to provide state-of-the-art surgical care in the Green Bay region.
