Programs and Services

Bone and joint problems don’t discriminate – they can happen to
anyone, at any age. Fortunately, there’s a solution designed to
bring relief to people suffering from a wide range of related conditions.

The Bone & Joint Program brings together a spectrum of expertise that
has earned DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital a reputation for excellence
in the field of bone and joint disorders.

• Fractures
• Trauma
• Joint replacement
• Sports medicine
• Occupational medicine
• Podiatry
• Osteoporosis prevention and treatment
• Preventive orthopaedic care and education
• Physical Medicine

DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital’s (HVSH) progressive, highly skilled orthopaedic and podiatry specialists can help patients suffering from bone and joint pain to be more flexible, mobile and agile. “Our goal is to help our patients experience and enjoy their lives to the fullest,” explains E. Patrick Mitchell, D.O., chief of orthopaedic medicine at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. The program addresses the needs of people of all ages, from newborns to grandparents. Seeing patients quickly is also a priority. Patients suffering pain from bone and joint problems can schedule an appointment within 48 hours with a HVSH orthopaedic physician or podiatrist.

 Click here to download a copy of our latest orthopaedics newsletter

Highly Skilled and Experienced Staff

DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital’s Bone and Joint Program offers highly respected orthopaedic physicians, surgeons and podiatrists with a broad range of capabilities and expertise, as well as nurses with special training in orthopaedic techniques. Surgeries are conducted in the area’s newest state- of-the art operating room, which recently opened as part of the hospital’s $27 million expansion.

Leading-edge technology, combined with vast expertise and ongoing physician education, enables the DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital program to deliver the most advanced care for every musculoskeletal condition. And, you can feel confident knowing we are a part of the Detroit Medical Center, the area's only nationally recognized academic health system.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing- Great Option for Younger Patients

Hip replacement without the replacement? Absolutely. A procedure called Birmingham Hip™ Resurfacing was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2006 and has many advantages over total hip replacement. Philip Schmitt, D.O., an orthopaedic surgeon at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, was the first doctor in Michigan to perform Birmingham Hip Resurfacing. He trained in the bone-saving procedure in Birmingham, England, where it originated.

The procedure has been used in England since the 1970s and on more than 60,000 patients worldwide. Rather than replacing the entire hip joint, Dr. Schmitt shaves and caps a few centimeters of bone, so more of the patient’s natural bone structures and stability are retained. The Birmingham implant provides 98 percent less wear than a traditional hip implant, reduction in the risk of dislocation and inaccurate leg length, reduced recovery time and reduced need for a second surgery.

Since 2006, Dr. Schmitt has completed more than 100 Birmingham Hip Resurfacing procedures at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital.  To date, Schmitt is the fourth surgeon in the country in terms of procedures done, and has done more in the state of Michigan than all other surgeons combined.

“This is a very good option for patients younger than 60 who have bad arthritis in the hip,” says Dr. Schmitt.

 Click here to listen to DMC's own Emery King discuss Birmingham Hip^TM Resurfacing

 Click here to watch a video on this revolutionary new procedure featuring Dr. Schmitt.

Minimally Invasive Total Joint Replacement

Total joint replacement surgery can result in the relief of discomfort and restore function in a majority of patients dealing with severe hip and knee pain. As patients learn about surgical options, many ask ‘is a minimally invasive technique right for me?’

HVSH orthopaedic surgeons have performed minimally invasive surgery for total knee and total hip replacement for some time. This method of surgery, while still very complex, often results in shorter hospital stays, faster recoveries, and much less scarring.

Only an orthopaedic surgeon can properly evaluate whether a patient is a candidate for a minimally invasive procedure. Risk factors relating to prior joint replacements, weight, and a patient’s overall health should be discussed and the risks and benefits of any form of joint replacement should be evaluated.

The most important factor in any surgical decision should be that the end result be the best possible for the patient’s long-term health.

Shoulder Pain: Better Outcomes 

One common cause of shoulder pain called a rotator cuff tear is a very painful experience. Patients cannot raise their arm, and sleep is often impossible because they cannot put weight on their shoulder. Because of new medical technologies, HVSH is now able to offer arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. “This procedure offers less pain, fewer scars and faster recovery and it is done on an outpatient basis,” comments Roland Brandt, D.O., a HVSH orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in rotator cuff repair and surgery of the shoulder. 

Play Hard? Lose Knee Pain – New Technology Gives Images from Arthroscopic Surgery 

Philip T. Schmitt, D.O., says it’s important to address a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) very soon after the initial injury to reduce the risk of arthritis setting in. This ligament is often injured in sports such as football, soccer and skiing. Usually the patient complains of a sudden injury to the knee and the inability to walk, pain and swelling. HVSH has recently acquired new equipment that allows Schmitt and his team to film an arthroscopic repair of the ACL and give the patient a DVD featuring footage from their procedure. “Not only is this very informative for the patient, it allows us to document the condition if further treatment is required and for purposes of physical therapy,” said Schmitt.  

Pick Up Your Pace Without Surgery  

A fairly new technique in treating osteoarthritis of the knee called Viscosupplementation injections is gaining popularity as an alternative to surgery. The treatment is especially helpful for patients who have not responded to traditional physical therapy or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. “Viscosupplementation is made from hyaluronan, a substance that is present in normal joint fluid,” explains Ronald Lederman, M.D., a board certified orthopaedic surgeon. “Viscosupplementation injections work by restoring elasticity to the joint for up to two years.” Lederman says that some patients get almost immediate relief while others experience relief after one to two months. 

Time is on Your Side. Longer Living Hip Replacements

“As people live longer, hip implants need to last longer,” comments Mark D. Mackey, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon who has done more than two dozen ceramic bearing hip replacements at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. In laboratory tests, ceramic-on-ceramic implants provide considerably lower wear versus conventional metal-on-plastic components, making it an ideal choice for patients under the age of 60.

“After about 15 years the metal in metal-to-polyethelene hip implants begin to wear the plastic down increasing the chance for a revision hip replacement,” says Mackey.

When Bones Break – New Techniques for Healing Fractures 

In an effort to improve rehabilitation results after a complicated fracture, HVSH orthopaedic surgeon, Daniel B. Hoard M.D., is using less invasive techniques to repair bones in the lower portion of the body. Hoard attaches plates and screws to the fractured bone through smaller incisions than traditional surgery, allowing patients to avoid long term immobilization of the leg, also called traction.

“This approach is especially positive for older patients with fragile bones because of the reduced risk for infection with smaller incisions,” comments Hoard. 

 Revolutionary Procedure Reduces Recovery for Back Surgery

Approximately 80 percent of the population will have low back pain at some point in their lives. While very few have a serious medical problem that requires surgery, those who do are now benefiting from a surgical approach that has been used to combat degenerative knee and hip conditions.

Known by some as a ‘bionic back,’ the Charite Artificial Disc™ is an alternative to spinal fusion for patients who have one diseased disc in the lumbar area of the spine. It is the first and only FDA approved artificial disc in the United States today.

The technique is performed by only a small number of surgeons in southeastern Michigan. Miles Singer, D.O., a spine surgeon at Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital recently performed the surgery on Kim Kuiper, 39, of Novi, replacing her worn out spinal disc with the high tech substitute.

Kuiper, who had been plagued by back problems since her teen years, was up and walking just one day after surgery. “I am very happy with how this turned out,” said Kuiper. “I am looking forward to getting back to exercising and riding my bike.

Singer says a quicker response time is to be expected with the Charite Artificial Disc™. Patients leave the hospital within 24–48 hours as opposed to traditional lumbar fusion, which requires a stay of up to five days. Invented in Europe, the device helps restore the natural distance between the two vertebrae, which can allow movement.

“This is a breakthrough in non-fusion technology,” explains Singer. “It offers an innovative surgical option for patients with degenerative disc disease and related conditions.”

Pre-Surgical Education

HVSH offers patients a pre-surgical education program about joint replacement that has become a model for programs throughout the area. Patients who participate in the hospital’s pre-surgical program prior to joint replacement surgery often enjoy a faster and more complete recovery.

Hip Resurfacing Procedure Reduces Pain

    
 
At the age of only 54, Bob Peri, an advertising sales representative for Gannett, Inc., was in too much pain to enjoy golf and walks with his wife, two of his favorite pastimes. But Peri is thrilled to be exercising regularly, thanks to having undergone a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing procedure with Philip Schmitt, D.O., an orthopaedic surgeon at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital. Peri was up on his feet relatively soon after his surgery and has returned to his full muscle strength.

“For so many years I suffered with pain,” says Peri. “And now there is literally no pain at all.”

“He’s done very well and that is typical for people who have this proceduredone,” says Dr. Schmitt.


  New Knees End Pain

For years fitness buff Jim Coram played racquetball 15 hours a week. “I loved it,” says Coram. But the stop-and-go sport stressed his knees badly.

As the busy owner of an electrical contracting and building company, Coram tried several procedures that gave him short-term relief, but the pain always returned.Still young for knee replacement surgery at age 55, Coram did not think it was an option until orthopaedic surgeon Mark Kamil, M.D., told him about a new state-of-the-art material that allows knee replacements to last longer. Coram signed on immediately to have the surgery. After just a few months he does
not remember when he felt better. “I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Kamil and my experience at DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital.”

Don’t look for him on the racquetball court though. “Dr. Kamil says the knees could last the rest of my lifetime if I give up the sport. But it won’t be easy now that I feel so great,” laughs Coram.