Nathan Skelley, M.D., is a Sanford Health orthopedic surgeon whose efforts in improving hip surgery recently attracted national recognition from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Dr. Skelley and colleagues Hunter O’Connor, a recent Sanford School of Medicine graduate; Brandon Whipple, director of the Sanford Health Surgical Resource Center; and Kyle Cochran, PA-C at Sanford Health, won the 2024 top award in the AAOS Orthopaedic Video Theatre competition.
“The Peripheral Compartment First and Periportal Approach to Hip Arthroscopy” is a 25-minute video showcasing a hip arthroscopy surgical technique developed at the Sanford USD Medical Center.
Years of research assembled by doctors from all over the world went into the video, which was selected by a committee based on education merit, production and technical quality as well as relevance and clinical impact.
“What is unique about our video is that we really detailed our experience and how we’ve pioneered in this space and made it unique to the equipment and the setup we have at Sanford Health,” Dr. Skelley said.
“I think that has value to new surgeons who are learning this approach and trying to improve their outcomes. We were able to detail it in a very clear and easy-to-follow video that is now available to orthopedic surgeons through the AAOS.”
Protecting the whole hip
As Dr. Skelley explained, a hip capsule is like a balloon that encases and protects the ball and socket of the hip joint. Cutting through that capsule, with all its nerves and muscle, can be painful and can destabilize the hip. This leads to longer recovery times and more patient discomfort.
With conventional arthroscopic hip procedures, minimally invasive poke holes are made through the skin and gaining access to the joint space involves cutting through thick joint capsule tissue.
The procedure explained in the video uses the same skin incision but utilizes less invasive poke holes in the capsule to gain access to the joint.
“It’s a very challenging technique but it allows for better patient outcomes and a quicker recovery,” Dr. Skelley said. “We’re excited to bring that technique to the patients in our care area.”
Sanford Health has played a vital role in establishing a new approach to hip procedures, but the benefits of that research will extend far beyond the region. The award-winning video allows for a global audience of surgeons to learn and collaborate with each other to improve surgical procedure.
“It’s a very powerful medium we can use to exchange ideas and collaborate and learn to deliver the highest care possible,” Dr. Skelley said. “At the Sanford USD Medical Center, we’re doing that every day, and not just in the space of sports medicine, but across all the subspecialties of orthopedics. My colleagues and I are engaged in this orthopedic space online and in national meetings to advance the care we deliver in our region.”
Learn more
- Orthopedic surgeon receives teaching and research award
- Team physician has USD athletes’ goals at heart
- The benefits of anterior hip replacement
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Posted In Awards & Recognition, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine