Dr. Stephen Murphy is a reconstructive and joint-preserving hip and knee surgeon in Boston, MA. He has performed thousands of successful procedures during his career.
In some instances, medication and physical therapy fail to reduce pain and discomfort. If other techniques are not effective, joint surgery may be necessary for you to lead a comfortable life.
Arthritis, fractures, sports injuries, and other issues can damage the hip joint. These ailments can make daily activities painful and difficult. When pain is no longer manageable with medication or injections, hip surgery may be necessary.
During hip arthroscopy, a surgeon examines the interior of your hip joint using a scope with a tiny camera on it. This allows them to see a magnified view of your joint to guide treatment.
Hip replacement surgery occurs when preserving the joint is impossible. The procedure replaces the damaged joint with a long-lasting surgical implant.
This process allows the patient to perform everyday activities without ongoing pain management. Dr. Murphy most often operates using a minimally invasive technique.
Dr. Murphy invented and still performs a type of minimally-invasive hip surgery called the Superior Hip Approach. This procedure preserves the soft tissues surrounding the hip joint.
He performs the surgery without dislocating the joint or distorting the limb beyond the normal range of motion. With this technique, 75 percent of patients who receive it return home within 24 hours.
Hip resurfacing is an alternative to total hip replacement and is usually best for younger, active patients. Dr. Murphy uses the superior hip approach along with computer-aided surgery for this procedure.
Joint replacement surgery may not be the only solution for pain relief. Joint preserving surgery may also be an option. It corrects pain-causing abnormalities in your hip before it needs replacement.
Patients who had hip replacements at a young age may need to have revision hip replacement surgery at some point. That’s because hip replacements are dependable for fifteen to twenty years but may need revising after that.
Revisions can be as simple or complex, requiring a new prosthesis. Common reasons for revision are bearing wear, bone reabsorption, loosening components, and infection.
Knees are susceptible to arthritis and injuries. If you have significant knee pain, knee surgery may be necessary to manage it.
There are several common knee surgeries. These include:
Joint preserving surgery is effective at managing cartilage loss in your knee. One joint preserving method encourages cartilage to grow back by making small cracks in the bone.
Another grows cartilage cells in a lab and implants them into your knee. A third joint preserving method transplants normal cartilage from elsewhere in your body to the worn part of your knee.
Your surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your kneecap and the bones surrounding it during knee replacement. Then they replace it with an artificial joint. Replacement knees are usually made from metal implants and a plastic spacer.
Knee replacement may be necessary because arthritis or injury makes movement painful. Replacing the damaged knee joint can restore mobility and end pain.
Over time, it may be necessary to repair your previous knee replacement surgery. Revision may be as simple as exchanging a plastic bearing or, more complex, requiring more extensive surgery.
Arthroscopic surgery, or surgery that uses a camera to guide the procedure, can be effective for repairing tears and ligament injuries to your knee. It is not as effective for degenerative arthritis.
Dr. Murphy specializes in many of these orthopedic procedures. If he determines that the best treatment for you is not one of his specialties, he will refer you to an expert.
