Nancy Kassay

When it was determined that I would need a hip replacement, choosing Hospital for Special Surgery was easy. It is highly regarded as the number one hospital for orthopedics, praised for its exceptional patient care and low rate of surgical site infection. But choosing a surgeon would be a daunting task for me. All doctors referred to me had impeccable resumes. Viewing their videos did not make the search any easier. All are deeply concerned with their patients and have performed surgery with tremendous success. My search whittled down to a few. My search ended when I met Dr. Peter Sculco.

When I told friends and family that I was having hip replacement surgery, the number one question was front or back? Front meaning anterior and posterior meaning through the rear. Pretty obvious? Not as obvious as you think. Dr. Sculco explained that the incision for the posterior procedure is actually on the side of the hip and he is leading the cause to change the terminology from posterior to a mini oblique. Before meeting with Dr. Sculco, I was convinced that anterior was the way to go because recovery time is often quicker. How quick really depends on the patient. Recovery is key but there are other factors to consider. By performing a mini oblique, the surgeon has excellent visibility of the joint and less chance of a fracture to the femur. I was relieved as I knew I was in good hands with Dr. Sculco. By the way, there is a day scheduled for pre-op tests and a lecture on the procedure: What to expect pre-op and post-op. It was extremely helpful.

Happy to report my surgery was a success. I left HSS the next day. Within 3 days of having physical therapy, I was walking with a cane. I was anxious to see Dr. Sculco for my 6 week post-op visit. I asked him, “How could I have recovered any faster with the anterior approach?” I began this journey thinking one way and thankfully changed my mind. This operation is a miracle as I am walking and climbing stairs with little to no leg and knee pain. Finally, I have met many doctors in my lifetime. None have shown such enthusiasm for what they do. No one seemed more genuinely happy with the results than Dr. Sculco . . . except me!