Choosing a Total Hip Replacement Doctor Baltimore

So, you are one of a million or more people in the world who choose to have a total hip replacement surgery Baltimore every year.  Congratulations on making a decision about going forward to what will most likely be a much improved and enjoyable quality of life.  Of course, your journey does not end with making this decision.  It is now time to find the best possible total hip replacement doctor Baltimore.  This short article is intended to help you begin the search process.

Facts about Hip Replacement Surgery and Surgeons Baltimore MD

• A variety of different medical research studies suggest that the best qualification your surgeon can have is doing a large volume of hip replacement surgeries each year.  A revision surgery is sometimes needed if there are complications with the initial procedure.  This is, of course, something you will be hoping to avoid as a patient.  Research suggests that surgeons who do 50 or more hip joint replacements yearly have patients who need a revision in only .7% of their total cases.  The revision rate jumps to 1.3% of patients annually when the surgeon performs between six and 25 procedures annually.
• As the person whose body will undergo the hip replacement Baltimore procedure, you have the right to express your goals for the treatment and discuss with your doctor whether or not they are realistic.  Goals vary widely from one patient to another.  You may wish to stop taking pain medications because you fear addiction, or for other reasons.  Maybe you gave up golfing a few years ago because the pain was just too much and you miss this favorite hobby.  Some folks just want to be able to tie their own sneakers and go for a short walk.  Whatever problems in your life you would like your surgery to solve, be sure to let your doctor know.  They can tell you (approximately) how good your prospects are before you commit to anything.
• Finally, make sure to check your doctor's credentials and licensing for your state (or the state where you might have surgery).  While it seems very unlikely that an unqualified physician has slipped into practice illegally, it does sometimes happen.