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You probably already know how a traditional hip replacement works.

You go into surgery, they do the thing - and then for a few weeks, you get to hobble around, not able to lift your legs all the way, or do the things that need doing, right?

What if it wasn't like that?

What if you could get the surgery, then go home, and just... do your own thing?

While it's not quite perfect yet, we're getting close, using a new surgical technique that's available from a few specialists, called the Spare procedure.

With this new hip replacement technique, more technically known as Spare Piriformis And Internus, Repair Externus, an experienced surgeon like the crew from MSK Doctors can perform a complete hip transplant, while allowing you to return home within 23 hours after your surgery, with no mobility restrictions.

Does it sound too good to be true? I thought so too - but that's medical science for you.

Turn your back on it for a minute, and they're inventing whole new ways to replace a hip.

If you've never heard of this technique, here's my advice - don't listen to me.

I'm not an expert, but I can direct you to someone who is a specialist in this exact technique - Prof. Paul Lee. I'll leave a link in the description to an article where he explains everything - and you can even book your own appointment, right from the website.

Prof. Paul Lee is the go-to for this procedure for several reasons, but most importantly, because he helped to perfect the Spare technique while working directly with its inventor, Dr. Timperley, at the renowned Exeter Hip Unit.

It also helps that his clinic, MSK Doctors in London, lets you book your own appointment with no GP referral and no waiting list. It's hard to beat that, but they try - because they also have several of the top local specialists and some of the best equipment in the county.. but I'm getting sidetracked.

The Spare technique, let's talk about it, and why it's so much better.

If you've done any research on hip transplants, you know that currently, a posterior approach is the standard option. Well, the Spare technique is a posterior approach, but modified, or improved, in several ways.

The biggest change is that it allows the surgical team to prevent damage to several important muscle groups during the operation. While some damage is still unavoidable, specialists can limit damage mostly to the obturator externus tendon - and it's okay if you don't know which one that is.

What you do need to know is much simpler: After your surgery, you can go home with no mobility restrictions and a significantly reduced risk of post-operative dislocations.

How reduced?

In clinical trials, the Spare technique had no post-operative dislocations, compared to a significant percentage of patients using the traditional technique.

That's not all though - imagine this.

You just got up after your surgery, and the doctor is talking you through your after-care - when he says that you should exercise the full range of motion of your hip, right away.

That's standard practice with the Spare technique - it's so sturdy, they want you to put it through its paces, and its full range of motion, right away.

So it's easy to see how Spare helps people recover faster - but there is one tiny downside. It's known for leaving a visible scar, not a terrible one, but if you care about scarring...

Then you might want to ask about the Bikini technique. I'm not going to go super into detail about this, but if scarring matters to you, you should definitely consider the Bikini procedure.

This technique offers many of the same benefits as the Spare procedure, including a reduced recovery time, but it puts more focus on hiding any scarring caused by the procedure. To put it simply, the surgeon can use this technique to hide the scar in the bikini line, like it never even happened.

There is one caveat - the Bikini technique really requires an experienced surgeon. Without experience, you may get less-than-stellar results, so just make sure your surgeon is an expert.

My advice, is to always go to the best local option for major surgery - and if it's hips or knees, it's got to be Prof. Paul Lee.

It's okay if you've never been there before - they don't even believe in referrals or waiting lists.

You can book your own appointment right now, online or over the phone, for practically anything - diagnosis, consultation, or treatment, and they'll always treat you like a whole person, not a single condition.

Before you decide though - why not learn a little more about your options? You can book an appointment, or learn more about the SPAIRE procedure, at the link I left in the description for this podcast.

MSK Doctors City: Sleaford Address: MSK House London Road Website https://www.mskdoctors.com Phone +44-330-001-0048 Email team@mskdoctors.com