El Camino Hospital has a wide range of treatment options for joint replacement. Your physician will work with you to find the treatment option that is best for your situation and needs. One approach to hip replacement is the anterior approach. This surgical technique allows physicians to leave smaller scars, requires shorter hospital stays, and allows patients to recover faster.

Orthopedic surgeons at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View have built expertise in using a specially designed surgical table and an innovative surgical technique called the “anterior MIS (minimally invasive surgery) approach,” El Camino Hospital surgeons can perform hip surgery while leaving key muscles and soft tissues undisturbed. This means an even faster recovery for you.

The anterior MIS technique has the following advantages:

• Much lower rate of dislocation
• No need for post-operative hip precautions
• More predictable limb length matching
• The fastest recovery, return to work and recreation

The anterior approach to hip replacement surgery allows the surgeon to reach the hip joint from the front of the hip as opposed to the lateral (side) or the posterior (back) approach. This way, the hip can be replaced without detachment of muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery. The surgeon can simply work through the natural interval between the muscles. The most important muscles for hip function--the gluteal muscles that attach to the pelvis and femur--left attached and therefore do not require a lengthy healing process to recover from surgical trauma.

What this means for patients is fewer limitations in their movements. They can flex their hips beyond 90 degrees, which means they can bend over to pick up a golf ball, or bend forward when standing up from a soft chair.

Our physical and occupational therapists work with our patients in daily therapy sessions. You’ll begin working with a physical therapist the first day after surgery. Occupational therapy, which emphasizes activities of daily living, such as dressing and bathing, begins on the second day. Working with physical and occupational therapy together three times daily is highly effective, making recovery faster and easier. Most patients walk out of the hospital in two to four days. Some patients choose to continue to work with our therapists as an outpatient.

The El Camino Joint Replacement Program is located at:
El Camino Hospital
2500 Grant Road
Mountain View, CA 94040

Phone: 650-962-4914

For a free physician referral, please call the El Camino Hospital Health Line at: 800-216-5556.