Jimmy Chow, M.D., Performs 1,000th SuperPATH ® Hip Replacement Procedure at St. Luke’s Medical Center

Surgeon one of two in Arizona offering micro-invasive surgical hip replacement

 PHOENIX – (Dec. 16, 2014) –Jimmy Chow, M.D., a fellowship-trained hip and knee replacement surgeon in practice with Hedley Orthopaedic Institute, performed his one-thousandth SuperPATH® Hip Replacement procedure at St. Luke’s Medical Center this fall.

 “After being heavily involved in the development of SuperPATH, I am thrilled to be able to see firsthand how it benefits so many of my patients,” said Dr. Chow. “I’m looking forward to helping another thousand patients with this innovative tissue-sparing technique.”

SuperPATH, or Supercapsular Percutaneously-Assisted Total Hip, is a revolutionary micro-invasive surgical procedure that enables a surgeon to execute a total hip replacement from inside the body through a small incision without damaging any of the patient’s muscles or tendons. Additionally, this is done without having to dislocate the hip during surgery – a common element to other hip surgery techniques.

“By eliminating trauma to these important structures, many patients are able to get back to the activities they enjoy within a matter of weeks, versus the months it could take using the traditional approach,” said Dr. Chow.

Other potential advantages of this approach include less pain, less scarring, fewer or no activity limitations, decreased hip dislocation risks, shorter hospital stays and a more natural feeling hip.

The one-thousandth surgery was performed on Diannee Lajoie, a 57-year-old Tempe resident, who had experienced severe pain and discomfort in her hips for more than three years.

 “After being diagnosed with sciatica several years ago, I tried everything from physical therapy to cortisone shots to relieve the pain in my hips, but nothing seemed to work,” said Lajoie. “After just a few weeks out from my SuperPATH surgery with Dr. Chow, I was extremely pleased with my results.” Lajoie began walking without assistance ten days after surgery and was able to return to her job as a chef four weeks later.

Dr. Chow is recognized internationally as the leader in this procedure, which he has been performing since September 2008. He has been credited with co-inventing the SuperPATH procedure. He is currently one of two physicians in Arizona and has personally trained more than 100 surgeons worldwide in this unique total hip replacement technique.   Dr. Chow continues to publish his experiences using this technique, while lecturing and presenting his findings internationally.

To learn more about SuperPATH, visit www.hedleyortho.com.

About St. Luke’s Medical Center
Serving Metropolitan Phoenix for more than 100 years, St. Luke’s Medical Center is a 200-bed tertiary care hospital part of IASIS Healthcare offering a full range of medical services, including emergency care, orthopaedics, cardiac care, bariatrics, physical rehabilitation, pain management and wound care. St. Luke’s has a long history of innovation as the first hospital in Arizona to open a cardiac catheterization lab, and the first in the Valley to perform open heart surgery. With a focus on serving the diverse health care needs of the community, experienced professionals provide high quality care with the latest technology, in a caring environment. For more information, visit www.stlukesmedcenter.com or call 1-877-351-WELL (9355).

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 About Hedley Orthopaedic Institute

Hedley Orthopaedic Institute, a Physician Group of Arizona, Inc., practice, provides exceptional orthopaedic care and sports medicine services. The professional health care team uses cutting-edge technology and advanced surgical techniques to provide high quality and comprehensive care for many types of orthopaedic injuries and disorders. For more information, hours and locations, visit www.hedleyortho.com.

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