Why Is There No Famous Hip Surgeon?

Over the past 10 years, Hollywood has seen a flood of various medical dramas, both on the big screen and on long-running television shows. We see a variety of medical professionals that get most of the attention on the screen, from Ben Carson's world-famous neurosurgeon and the trauma physicians on ER, to heart and plastic surgeons all over television. These types of doctors are getting all of the attention. But there is a grave injustice here. You can look far and wide through the myriad of medical movies and television shows, and you may be struck by something: You can't find a hip surgeon!Sure, the heart specialist who saves that 12 year old from a sudden and unexpected heart attack by performing a last-minute 3 AM triple bypass might be more glamorous. The men and women who can load your body with silicone for a "reasonable" fee have an unreasonable share of the market right now, even jumping into their own reality shows with a vengeance. Nobody ever seems to notice the valiant, dedicated hip surgeon, that workhorse of the medical industry. He does his job with no expectation of glamour or glory, but simply for the joy of alleviating pain and giving his patient a higher quality of life.While relatively few of us will ever need someone to perform a coronary artery bypass grafting, bone injuries and rheumatoid arthritis are possibilities that we all might face as we age. Arthritis in particular can cause a significant amount of pain, drastically limiting the afflicted's range of motion. If it afflicts the hip, it can be very difficult to enjoy the types of activities that make life the most fun. Exercise can become excruciating. A good hip surgeon can quickly and effectively get you back in the swing of things, and though the procedure is undeniably invasive, there is a fairly low risk of complications.


To reiterate: It is very unlikely you will ever need a craniotomy. This is not to say that the physicians who perform these types of brain operations are not deserving of admiration. It's a very risky job to open up a person's skull and dig around in the gray matter, and one might go so far as to say that a hip replacement isn't quite as dangerous. Yet, it is so much more common, and for those who need it, the surgery is essential to a person's well being through the years!Next time you see your neighborhood hip surgeon, walk over and give him a handshake. Thank him, and tell him that you recognize how essential his service is for multitudes of people in all walks of life. His job may seem less glamorous than that of the doctors on the silver screen, but it is just as important.