Susan Tucker, Operating Room Supervisor at Great Bend Regional Hospital, prepares the HANA table for surgery.
The orthopedic surgeons at Great Bend Regional Hospital are well-known in the state of Kansas for their track record and commitment to staying on the forefront of medicine. Dr. LT Fleske and Dr. Randall Hildebrand, the board-certified owners of the Central Kansas Orthopedic Group, recently surpassed a milestone number of groundbreaking surgeries known as Anterior Hip Replacements.
“We have been doing these surgeries for several years, after we both completed specialized training on the new approach,” says Dr. Fleske. “Some of the benefits include better exposure, decreased blood loss, a smaller incision, and having to cut less muscle tissue.”
Since 2013, the two local orthopedic specialists have performed more than 100 anterior hip replacements at Great Bend Regional Hospital.
The medical industry has traditionally performed total hip replacements with the patient lying on his or her side on the operating room table, known as a posterior hip replacement. But research has shown that for certain patients, an anterior approach from the front can be more advantageous. However, the doctors note that the posterior approach is still the industry standard for a reason. It all depends on the patient’s medical history, their anatomy, and any wound concerns the physician may have.
“At six months post-surgery, posterior and anterior patients will have equal outcomes,” Dr. Fleske says.
“While anterior hip replacements work well for some, posterior procedures still work very well and can be the preferred method depending on the patient’s individual needs.”
To better facilitate anterior hip replacements, Great Bend Regional Hospital invested in state-of-the-art equipment that makes the physician’s job as easy as possible. At the beginning of this year, the regional healthcare leader purchased a new hip and knee arthroplasty surgical table, otherwise known as a HANA Table. Its unique positioning capabilities enable the surgeon to replace the hip through a single incision without detachment of the muscle from the pelvis or femur. The table can also be used for some other procedures, and can accommodate x-ray imaging without moving the patient.
“Patients deserve to have access to the latest technology when it is appropriate. We continue to invest in new training and new equipment to stay on the cutting edge of the medical industry,” says Dr. Randall Hildebrand. “This commitment to progressive medicine, along with our track record, is probably a big reason we draw patients from a 90-120 mile radius around Great Bend.”
Dr. Fleske opened the Central Kansas Orthopedic Group in 1980, and was joined by Dr. Hildebrand in 1999 after he completed his service in the United States Army. Both specialists are board-certified, and together they perform approximately 1,300 surgeries per year at Great Bend Regional Hospital.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Central Kansas Orthopedic Group at 620-792-4383.