The first artificial hip replacement was performed in 1954. Over the past few decades, that number implants has drastically increased allowing many more people live an active healthy life.

"I also used to run 30, 40, 50 miles a week and work out three to four times a week, so I was pretty active,” said John Gazda.

Gazda loved being active but it took a toll on his bones.

“I couldn't ride in a car. I couldn't sit at a desk, the pain was excruciating,” Gazda said.

His hips were so damaged, he needed both replaced both. He was a candidate for an implant called the Stryker's Tritanium System. The new hip replacement is designed to provide patients with a hip implant their bone can grow into securing the implant like never before.

“A Tritanium it is a porous metal that is very much loved by bone and bone grows into it,” said Dr. Timothy Izant.

It looks like a honeycomb and the patient’s bone perceives it like a regular bone and grows into the grooves, helping to secure the implant to the bone without cement or screws, providing enhanced joint stability.

“The body is going to really love this material and grow in and give it that ultimate fixation it needs and probably have a lower incidence of early failures,” Izant said.

The implant is suited for a range of ages, from a young bone of a 30-year-old right up to an active 80-year -old who's bones are rather thin.

Gazda had both hips done, a few months apart.

"It was pretty benign. In the morning at 6:30 by 11:00 I was up and walking on my leg. You have some kind of pain but on the second day I was walking without a walker and the third day I went home and the fourth day I went to work for a couple of hours anyway,” said Gazda.

It's been about four months.

"I can do everything, there are no limitations. I am not supposed to run so I don't run but I do everything else. I do the Stairmaster, elliptical, any kind of weights. There are no limitations. I can do anything,” Gazda said.

Dr. Timothy Izant, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, 5719 Widewaters Parkway, Dewitt, NY 13214>

www.sosbones.com.
www.sosbones.com/izant.html.