For most of us, running a marathon is a fantasy— an implausible dream that never comes to fruition. But for the dedicated few, marathon training is a normal activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stacey Hardin of Louisville, Ky. is part of the latter group. A co-owner of a training studio, Stacey is the picture of fitness who helps her clients get in shape. However years of training has taken its toll on Hardin. In 2006, Hardin encountered a hip injury along with arthritis which led to non-stop pain.

“I had people telling me they can’t stand watching me walk. It was very painful. I was on four Advil three times a day and that was just to knock the edge off,” Hardin said. Determined to gain back her health, Hardin had not one, but two hip replacements; one in 2006 on her left hip and another in 2010 on her right. Dr. Jonathan Yerasimides of Norton’s Orthopedic Specialists performed Hardin’s surgeries.
Typically, hip replacement procedures are performed through a posterior incision. Dr. Yerasimides performed the Hardin’s surgery through one incision made in the front of the patient’s anatomy. This innovative approach is known as anterior hip replacement.

“The incision is more up to the front of the thigh rather than a traditional posterior approach which would be more on the buttock. So it’s not directly on the front surface of the thigh but it’s more where a pant pocket would be,” Yerasimides said. Just six weeks after the surgery Hardin was up and running-literally.
Anterior hip replacement surgery provides numerous benefits to the patient. Surgeons are able to operate through a much smaller incision when they operate via the anterior approach. This minimizes tissue trauma and quickens recovery time—enabling Hardin to hit the pavement weeks after surgery.

TeDan Surgical Innovations, recognizing the benefits of minimally invasive anterior hip replacement surgery, recently introduced a revolutionary hip retractor that simplifies the demanding anterior approach. Using this retractor, all orthopedic surgeons will be able to operate through an 8-10cm incision—allowing runners and walkers alike to return to their normal activities weeks after the procedure.