Phoenix, AZ, December 23, 2013 -- It started as a day like any other and ended in an injury that is among the most frightening for people over 50. Billie Lent, 65, a nurse with more than 40 years experience, was at home with her husband when a sick pet changed the course of her day.

“My husband and I were trying to help our dog who was feeling under the weather,” Lent said. “Next thing I knew I was on the floor.” Lent had tripped over her husband’s foot in the rush to help. As a nurse, she assessed the situation immediately. “I was pretty sure I had fractured my hip,” she said.

Lent went to see a friend of hers who is an orthopedic surgeon. “He took x-rays and told me I had a fractured hip and suggested I go to the emergency room,” she said. “I didn’t want to go to the ER.”

As a nurse, she decided she didn’t want surgery. A week later, Lent returned for additional x-rays. The fracture had moved. This time, she knew she would have to have surgery. She knew she wanted a physician skilled in the anterior approach. Her orthopedist didn’t perform the procedure and suggested Dr. David Ott, a leading, board certified orthopedic surgeon with OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopedic Associates who specializes in the anterior hip replacement.

“He didn’t have an opening in his elective surgery schedule right away,” said Lent. “But the anterior approach is very fast healing for the patient, so I elected to wait until the following Wednesday. With the anterior approach there is no muscle or ligament incision. It makes healing much quicker, so I was determined to wait.”

One weeks later, Lent had her surgery with Dr. Ott at OASIS Hospital.

“After surgery I had absolutely no pain, zero pain,” Lent said. “My entire hospitalization was less than 30 hours. I really wanted to go home post-op that night, but Dr. Ott convinced me I should probably stay. I mean, it was just like a miracle. Zero pain.”

After surgery, a physical therapist ordered by Dr. Ott and scheduled through OASIS came to Lent’s home to help her with her recovery. “It was really important to get physical therapy,” said Lent. “I had been babying my leg since the fracture and had some atrophy in the leg as a result. I almost had to relearn how to walk with a normal gait again.”

With the anterior approach, recovery happened quickly for Lent. 
“I was actually up and walking without a cane after just one week,” she said.

Just two weeks after Lent’s surgery, she was released from physical therapy. “She was a model patient,” said Ott. “She started physical therapy right away, followed our instructions and was back to her regular schedule in just a few weeks.”

“Dr. Ott is a Medical Director at OASIS where I had the surgery,” Lent said. “The entire experience was absolutely a dream experience. The OASIS staff are professional and kind. His office staff is wonderful. Dr. Ott is so into the customer service. It clearly comes from the top."

“I have three more joints to go. So I’ll be back,” she said, laughing.

For more information on OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates, please call (602) 631-3161 or visit www.aoa.md. Find out more about Arizona Orthopaedic Associates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aoaatgateway and Twitter at www.twitter.com/aoaatgateway.

About OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates:
OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates strives to improve the quality of life of its patients and their families through outstanding orthopedic care. OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality of orthopedic care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, top-rated and board-certified orthopedic surgeons strive to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans as a way to alleviate possible future difficulties.

Contact:
Al Stevens
OrthoArizona - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates
690 N. Cofco Center Ct
Suite 290, Phoenix, AZ 85008
480-648-1770
[email protected]
http://www.aoa.md