Dr. Bellah accepts all insurance. For a consultation, please call 964-6910.
Orthopedic Surgeon Jack Bellah, M.D. offers leading-edge anterior hip replacement surgery that uses special equipment and procedures to avoid cutting muscles. In most cases, the result is a shorter hospital stay, less pain and a faster recovery.
The Stanford-trained general orthopedic surgeon is not new to the procedure. He has been performing it on patients at his Fortuna practice for more than three years.
What Other Experts Say
Joel M. Matta, M.D., of the Hip & Pelvis Institute at Saint John’s Hospital in San Diego, is one the pioneers of the anterior surgery approach; Dr Bellah has studied Matta’s work.
Dr. Matta — and a wave of other surgeons across the country, like Dr. Bellah — are using the relatively new approach because of its benefit to long-term patient comfort and recovery.
Says Dr. Matta: “Using the anterior approach allows surgeons to work between the muscles, without detaching them from the hip or thigh bones. When these important muscles are left relatively undisturbed, patients can expect to be on their feet much faster, making quicker steps toward recovery.”
Traditional Approach vs. Anterior?
The anterior approach allows for a smaller incision and less tissue disruption, which can shorten the recovery process, according to Dr. Bellah who says his patients may bend their hip and bear full weight sooner than other types of hip replacement surgery. Keeping these muscles intact also helps prevent dislocations.