Elizabeth MacDonald, R.N., was only 50 years old when the pain got so bad, she had to find relief. Her hips had degenerated to a point that there was no cartilage left and the joints were almost completely impacted.

At such a young age, many physicians may have recommended MacDonald wait to have surgery until she was older and no longer at risk for needing revision surgery. But with Oxinium hip implants and Minimally Invasive Surgery, her orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Michael Crovetti Jr., knew there was no need to wait.

MacDonald had a double hip replacement at St. Rose Siena Joint Replacement Unit in Henderson, Nev. Thanks to Minimally Invasive Surgery, MacDonald had less trauma to underlying muscle and soft tissue. She recovered quickly and went home after only three days. Traditional surgery may have laid her up for five to seven days.

"Besides a 2-and-a-half inch scar on each side, I forget I even have [implants]," MacDonald said. "The surgery went very well."

If MacDonald had undergone traditional hip replacement surgery, the incision size would have been 8 inches to 10 inches long. With Minimally Invasive Surgery, patients now experience an incision that is typically only 3 inches to 4 inches in length.
Before her debilitating condition, MacDonald enjoyed an active lifestyle including riding rodeo horses. She competed regularly for three to four years in jumping, roping and running barrel patterns. Eventually the pain became so great that she could no longer ride.

For a period of more than seven years, the pain in her hips continued to worsen to a point where she was only getting about an hour of sleep at night. And because of her job as a director of nursing, she could not take heavy pain medication during the day. During the last few months before surgery, MacDonald could not even climb stairs or walk her two dogs.

"Everyone, especially nurses, tend to procrastinate when it comes to surgery," said MacDonald. "But when I saw the X-ray of my hips, I couldn’t believe I was still walking."

In fact, her situation was so severe, her doctor decided to replace both hips at once.

"My hips were so badly degenerated, I would have to have both replaced eventually. So you might as well do them both at once. My doctor decided that since I was young, fit and had a good attitude, I could handle it. And with the minimally invasive surgery, my recovery would be easier," MacDonald said.

Post-surgery physical therapy was necessary to strengthen her leg muscles that had deteriorated after more than six months of inactivity before the surgery. Now that her body can keep up with her energy, MacDonald hopes to go downhill skiing this season for the first time in years. She has returned to horseback riding for pleasure and wants to try scuba diving.

"It’s like getting back my freedom," said MacDonald. "I am still careful, but now I can climb a step ladder, swing my leg over a fence, or take the stairs without even thinking about it. It’s awesome."