According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 5 Americans have some form of arthritis. Collier and south Lee County residents struggling with hip and knee pain will have an opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in pain relief and surgical techniques at a free seminar on May 10, 2012, at Physicians Regional Medical Center, 6101 Pine Ridge Rd., in Naples.
Speaking on “What’s New, What Works for Painful Hips and Knees,” board certified and fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon Robert J. Zehr, M.D. will present general information on non-surgical as well as surgical treatments for advancing arthritis in hips and knees, including new minimally invasive surgical techniques, computer assisted surgery, and rapid recovery programs. Dr. Zehr will also discuss MRI directed custom aligned total knee replacement and introduce the Oxford Unicompartmental knee joint replacement.
The highlight of the presentation, however, will be the discussion of the four-fold benefits to patients of using the direct anterior approach to total hip replacement, also known as the anterior supine intermuscular or ASI approach. “It is a much more challenging technique for most surgeons; it is not routinely taught in training programs and if done through a small incision can be quite laborious and risky,” Dr. Zehr explains. “This approach has been made easier and more reproducible with the use of a specialized operating room table called the hana table. Consequently, it is noteworthy that the direct anterior approach to total hip replacement has currently been adopted by only +/-5% of all hip surgeons throughout the U.S. currently as their method of choice.” Dr. Zehr is Southwest Florida’s most experienced surgeon in this complex procedure, and has been pleased with its success in providing patients with long-lasting improvement to their quality of life.
The seminar begins at 6:00 p.m. Reservations can be made online at http://zehrcenter.com or by calling the Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100.
