Two hip dysplasia surgeries feed Anna’s interest in medicine

Boston Children’s Hospital strives to create a comfortable, supportive environment for all of its patients. Still, most can’t wait to leave the sterile hospital halls and return to the comfort of their own homes. Anna, a 20-year-old college student from N.H., has other thoughts. “I can’t wait to come back to Boston Children’s.” Diagnosis: Hip impingement Anna first started experiencing hip pain at age 17 and thought she had injured herself during a ballet class. But the pain persisted, sending her a to local orthopedic surgeon, who referred her to Young-Jo Kim, MD, PhD, in Boston Children’s Child and Young Adult Hip Preservation Program. Anna had a torn labrum (the cartilage surrounding the hip joint). It’s a problem often found in patients with certain hip conditions, such as hip dysplasia or femoroacetabular impingement. She underwent surgery to repair the labrum, but Anna’s journey was just beginning. Her hip pain persisted, and she was diagnosed with a type of hip impingement called pincer impingement in her left hip at age 18. Anna’s condition required a more extensive surgery called anteverting periacetabular osteotomy (PAO). “I was apprehensive initially, as having the surgery would require me to take a semester off from school.” She asked Kim question after question—about the surgery, her recovery and long-term outlook. Kim patiently answered every concern, reassuring Anna that she would be able to have children in the future and promising t...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Our patients’ stories Child and Adult Hip Preservation Program hip dysplasia our patients' stories pincer impingement Young-Jo Kim Source Type: news