SOUTH BEND, IN (WSBT) — In July’s Eye on Health, we’re taking a closer look at hip pain and why the solution to fix it may not always result in a total hip replacement.
Procedures done locally within Beacon Health System are saving people time from traveling to other cities.
It’s all about preserving what a patient already has thanks to a type of care that’s unique to our area. Doctors have been working with one teen with a passion for dance to get her back on her feet.
Two years ago, Ava Dillon’s high school dance career took a turn she didn’t expect.
“It wasn’t super severe, but as time went on, I started limping. I couldn’t walk very well. I had to sit down. I couldn’t walk far,” said Dillon.
The now-senior at Marian High School started having hip problems that gradually got worse.
And despite seeing several physicians issues persisted.
“Nobody could really figure out what was wrong with me,” said Dillon.
Ava would eventually meet with Dr. LeeAnne Torres and Dr. Eric McCoy at Beacon Bone and Joint Specialists. In Ava’s case, it was more about preserving what was already there by correcting bone deformity and working on the labrum, a ring of cartilage that surrounds the hip socket.
“Young and particularly active patients, those without arthritis, we want to try to preserve that hip for as long as possible so that something like a hip replacement is not in the discussion for decades to come,” said Dr. LeeAnne Torres.
Dr. McCoy says sometimes the hip socket can develop abnormally. He performed an osteotomy on Ava—essentially re-aligning the bone. He advises people that if pain is persistent to get it checked out.
“A lot of patients that I meet often have an injury for a prolonged period of time and either do multiple rounds of physical therapy first and still having that problem. So, I think if there’s a persistent problem, despite therapy and other measures, definitely see our team to help address that,” said Dr. Eric McCoy.
Once a patient goes through the rehabilitation process of about six months, there aren’t any further restrictions for athletics. Ava says this process, and the care she received at Beacon, is inspiring her to want to study nursing after high school.
“When I had my surgery and I was here for four days in the hospital, I saw how the nurses were. They were amazing. They really did make an impact on my hospital stay,” said Dillon.
Dr. McCoy says Beacon offers the only program outside of Chicago or Indianapolis that combines arthroscopy, which is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint– as well as open-joint preservation procedures.
