Total hip replacement is one of the most successful procedures in medical history, relieving millions of patients each year who suffer from osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis, dysplasia or hip fracture.
The most advanced technique for the operation is the ASI (Anterior Supine Intermuscular) method, which is applied at the Athens Medical Center by the Large Joints Clinic, under the direction of Mr. Ioannis Tsarouchas.
The advantages of the ASI method are many and come from the fact that it is minimally traumatic, as it is performed with a small incision (6 - 7 cm) on the anterior surface of the hip without cutting the muscles and tendons of the area. This minimises blood loss and the need for transfusion, shortens hospitalisation and allows for rapid mobilisation and recovery of the patient. Minimal trauma to the area and rapid recovery after surgery help avoid complications that are relatively common with other older techniques, such as thrombosis, major bleeding and respiratory problems.
One of the most "troublesome" complications of total hip replacement is anisoskeletal pain, which may occur after implantation of the prosthesis. Although anterior hip prostheses provide better intra-operative control of the length of the legs than lateral and posterior prostheses, several patients experience more than one centimetre of anisoskeletonisation post-operatively.
The Large Joints Clinic of the Athens Medical Center, under the direction of Ioannis Tsarouchas, MD, PhD, Orthopaedic Surgeon, has for many years given a solution to the problem of anisosceles with the use of intraoperative clinical and radiological control. Thus, even minor anisoskeleton is corrected in the operating room.
This is done using a computer software that allows the precise measurement of the difference in length of the two lower limbs after a digital x-ray taken during surgery. The x-ray is done with the most sophisticated system of a major company that allows the image to be captured and displayed within seconds.
The use of this new protocol ensures the avoidance of anisosceles, but also further reduces the duration of the procedure. This was shown in the clinic's study published in the European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology entitled "A new method for intraoperative assessment of leg length, sizing and placement of the components in total hip replacement".
It is worth noting that the Athens Medical Center's Large Joints Clinic is the only Training & Reference Center in Greece and one of the few in Europe in this technique, certified by Zimmer Biomet, having already a very large number of interventions with this method.
According to the International Certification, the clinic meets the necessary criteria and offers a comprehensive training program in the ASI (Anterior Supine Intermuscular) technique, addressed to surgeons from Greece and abroad. This program is already underway, with the participation of surgeons from Greece and abroad, who have successfully completed the training process. Already since the beginning of the program, in February 2019, more than 25 visiting orthopaedic surgeons have been hosted. All participating trainees successfully completed the program and were completely satisfied with the level of knowledge they acquired.
It is important to stress that after the return to normality, we must preserve our health, in case we have neglected it due to the circumstances. The wider hospital environment, the organized structures and the individualized treatment, as they exist and are applied in the Athens Medical Center and in all the clinics of the Athens Medical Group, ensure the necessary excellent conditions for carrying out these procedures.
to guide you about your condition, so you can choose the best possible treatment for it.
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