A New Approach at Life

By Erin Brown

Fifty-four-year-old Timothy Smith experienced pain in his right leg that caused him to miss out on important moments for many years. Riding bikes with his grandson Scott and golfing with friends challenged him more than the sport. Even everyday activities such as walking into work became a struggle.

Seeking a better quality of life, expedites recovery.” Timothy chose to obtain superlative medical care from the orthopedic experts at McLeod Health.

In September 2019, Timothy visited McLeod Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Pat Denton. At this appointment, Dr. Denton identified the root cause of Timothy’s pain -- a damaged hip joint. He immediately referred Timothy to his colleague Dr. Chad Thurman, who specializes in total joint replacement.

An MRI revealed that Timothy’s hip joint was bone-on-bone. Many years of wear and tear, along with high school and college sports, contributed to his condition.

Focused on developing a personalized treatment plan for Timothy, Dr. Thurman considered the extent of the injury as well as Timothy’s age and overall health. While there are several minimally-invasive approaches to total hip replacement, Dr. Thurman determined that the Direct Anterior Approach would be the best option for Timothy.

“This increasingly common approach to hip replacement surgery offers many benefits to both the surgeon and the patient,” said Dr. Thurman.

During the procedure, the surgeon reaches the hip joint from the front of the hip as opposed to the side or the back. This approach allows the surgeon to go between the muscle planes rather than cutting through the muscle.

The overall benefits of Direct Anterior Approach for the patient include shorter incision lengths, less damage to muscles, decreased pain, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery and rehabilitation.

On October 7, 2019, Timothy underwent hip replacement surgery at McLeod Regional Medical Center. Following surgery, Timothy spent the night in the hospital and immediately began rehabilitation.

“Many patients take their first steps within hours after surgery with the aid of a walker,” explained Dr. Thurman. “Rehabilitation allows the patient to restore strength and mobility to the hip, which not only improves but also expedites recovery.”

“Everything about my experience – from Dr. Thurman’s care during surgery to the excellent nurses I met – demonstrated how much McLeod cares about their patients,” recalled Timothy.

Timothy continued rehabilitation at McLeod Sports Medicine and Outpatient Rehabilitation located in Florence, South Carolina.

After five weeks of recovery, Timothy returned to work at Continental Tire in Sumter, South Carolina.

“I could not have made it through surgery and recovery without my loving wife Kelly,” said Timothy.

With the help of the dedicated surgical and rehabilitation team at McLeod, Timothy now enjoys a pain free life and, most importantly, those precious bike rides with his grandson.