Orthopedic surgeon Ryan Shephard, DO, has performed the county's first anterior total hip replacement at Dunkirk, N.Y.-based Brooks Hospital.
Anterior hip replacements replace damaged hips in a minimally invasive way while avoiding nearby muscles and tendons, according to a March 27 press release. The procedure offers patients less pain and faster recovery times.
This procedure was the first same-day-home hip replacement in New York's Chautauqua County, according to the release.
Dr. Shephard and a second orthopedic surgeon, Sunil Kukreja, MD, were recruited to help build an orthopedic program at Brooks and expand care to rural communities.
While anterior hip replacements have been readily available in larger cities, this milestone marks the procedure's move toward rural areas, the release said.