How One of Our Patients Got Their Life Back Thanks to Hip Replacement

Thomas Byrnes is a 73-year-old patient of BJC Medical Group who began to feel pain in his right leg about two and a half years ago. As an active hiker and biker, this got in the way of him enjoying some of his favorite activities, and he was anxious to find the cause of his discomfort to get back to doing what he loved.

He tried physical therapy and regained some flexibility, but it didn’t relieve his pain. He then saw a back surgeon who did an MRI and diagnosed a herniated disc, which they believed was rubbing against his nerves and causing the problem. However, this was a misdiagnosis, and the subsequent back surgery didn’t bring Byrnes relief.

After seeing a couple of pain doctors, he was finally referred to Nicholas Wilson, MD, one of the BJC Medical Group orthopedic surgeons in St. Charles County, who is fellowship-trained in hip and knee replacements. Dr. Wilson did an X-ray and saw that Byrnes had arthritis in his right hip, and his left hip wasn’t much better. This meant Byrnes would have to get hip replacement surgery on both hips, the right hip in June 2023 and the left in August 2023.

How does a hip replacement work?

During a hip replacement, a surgeon makes an incision above the thigh and removes the section of bone or cartilage that is damaged or causing problems in the hip joint. It is then replaced with an artificial joint.

What does recovery from a hip replacement look like?

One of the best parts of hip replacement is that many patients can get going right away and be fully up to speed within a few weeks. That isn’t to say no physical therapy is involved, but it is minimal compared to something like a knee surgery. As long as the patient is up and walking every couple of hours or so, recovery is relatively smooth.

In Byrnes’ case, he only stayed in the hospital for one night after surgery and said he felt back to normal after four weeks after his first hip replacement. After his second hip replacement, he said he felt recovered within five days.

Are patients satisfied with their hip replacements?

Of the surgeries performed by top-rated BJC orthopedic specialists, hip replacements have the highest satisfaction rate with 97%, and a low complication rate.

“I’m a totally satisfied customer,” says Byrnes. “I’m so grateful we live in a time where the technology, knowledge and skill are there for doctors like Dr. Wilson to perform these types of operations.”

With the help of Dr. Wilson and the entire BJC Medical Group team, Byrnes is back to walking for exercise and playing with his grandchildren. He plans on returning to hiking and biking outdoors in the spring when the weather cooperates and he feels safe to do so.

“They treated me wonderfully [at BJC],” says Byrnes. “I loved the hospital, the staff is awesome, Dr. Wilson is awesome, and as soon as they wheeled me out of the room after surgery, I felt better already.

To learn more about what BJC HealthCare offers patients in need of orthopedic care, visit https://www.bjc.org/specialties/orthopedics