Press Room

Mercy Physicians resurface instead of replace some painful hips

COON RAPIDS, Minn. 11/27/2007--To his amazement, five weeks after hip surgery at Mercy Hospital, Wade Paulouski was hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

The 50-year-old had always been active -- rock climbing, jogging and going up and down ladders on construction jobs. But about two years ago, he began experiencing pain.

"It would go away and come back," says Paulouski. "I went to five different surgeons. I couldn’t believe it. They told me my hip was gone – worn out."

Paulouski went to the library and Internet to research hip replacement surgery, and that’s when he learned about an alternative to total hip replacement, the Birmingham Hip resurfacing technique. He also learned that orthopedists Kurt Anderson, M.D. and David Edwards, M.D., of Orthopaedic Consultants, PA, in Coon Rapids perform the technique.

"The procedure isn’t for everyone, but for people with hip pain because of osteoarthritis, dysplasia or avascular necrosis, who are under 60, it is an option that allows them to be very active," says Dr. Anderson, who performed Paulouski’s procedure.

After surgery, Paulouski stayed at Mercy for four days and with his sister for four days. "I was pretty laid up and used a walker and went really slow." After three weeks, he was pain free.

Two weeks later, to test his hip, he went hiking with his son in Colorado. "I remember saying, 'I can’t believe I’m doing this. I thought I'd be crippled.'"

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Mercy Hospital, located in Coon Rapids, Minn., is a 271-bed non-profit hospital that serves the northwestern Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, the hospital provided care to more than 165,000 people in 2006

Twin Cities Orthopedics is one of the largest orthopedic practices in the country with 70 plus physicians in 30 clinics. Our physicians have specialty training in all areas of orthopedic medicine. No matter how common or obscure a patient’s problem, TCO has the capability to offer the best treatment available. Through conservative, top quality care, research and the use of state-of-the art technology and procedures, TCO provides world-class, compassionate care to individuals of all ages with musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. For more information visit www.tcomn.com or contact Tara Heisler at (952) 512-5657 or taraheisler@tcomn.com.

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Story courtesy of Allina Hospitals and Clinics.

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