Doctors Hip To Less Invasive Surgery (NAPSA)—Manypatients may want to say “Hip, hip, hurray” about a new wayto fix broken hips. There has been a growing concern among doctors and their patients about the mortality and complications associated with hip fractures and their cost to society. Recent research revealed current systems mean only 40 percent of patients regain their pre-operative mobility. Now, however, a step in the right direction has been made, experts say, with the Gotfried Percutaneous Compression Plating (PC.C.P) Sys- tem. It’s a new, minimally invasive methodof fracture stabilization and fixation for hip-fracture surgery developed by Y. Gotfried, M.D. This system can greatly increase the recovery rate. For example, in a clinical study of 118 patients ranging in age from 58 to 98 years whose hip-fracture surgery included the PC.C.P System, 83 percent regained independent mobility within six months. Traditional hip-fracture surgery can require a five-inch-long incision down the thigh, but the new system involves two smaller incisions, each less than oneinchlong. The system then lets a surgeon work around most muscles and tendons rather than cutting through them. Major benefits of this new approach to hip-fracture surgery include: A significant reduction of complications due to a less traumatic operative procedure; * Reduced blood loss and less pain (important benefits for an A new wayto treat hip troubles can mean less pain, less recovery time and more mobility. already fragile and usually elderly patient population, often with other medical problems); Patients rehabilitate much faster, often able to bear weight a few days after the operation, with improvedresults. “Hip fractures represent a major orthopedic challenge for surgeons. This new approach is a minimally invasive methodof operating on hip fractures with less pain and rehab time, and better results, for the patient,” said Charlie Federico, President and CEO of Orthofix International, NV (Nasdaq: OFIX) which hasentered into an exclusive distribution agreement to market the system. The international corporation develops, produces and markets innovative products in the medical device sector. For more information, see www.orthofix.com.
