Patient Brittany Farmer

Surgical Procedure Repairs Hip Dysplasia

Brittany Farmer was having trouble taking 20 steps without experiencing terrible hip pain. She leaned to the right when she walked and she turned her right foot in to help balance herself. She relied on Tylenol and Advil to get through the day. When doctors in Virginia couldn’t help, she turned to the pediatric experts at Brenner Children’s Hospital.

“I was having a lot of trouble getting in and out of the car,” she said. “I would have to pick up my leg and put it in the car. I would have sharp pains anytime I walked and I took a lot of pain medication.”

 Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon John Frino, MD, diagnosed Brittany with hip dysplasia, a fairly common disorder that affects about 1 in 1,000 patients in the United States.

“Brittany has hip dysplasia or shallow hip sockets,” said Dr. Frino. “With this disorder, the hip is not sitting in the hip socket where it can move and help balance the weight of the body. With hip dysplasia, the hip becomes like a tire that is unbalanced. When you are riding or walking on it, it begins to wear out sooner.”

Dr. Frino scheduled a hip osteotomy procedure to help place Brittany’s hip back into the socket and ease her pain. “We make the socket deeper so the hip can function properly and Brittany can move without pain.”

Brittany says that although the thought of having surgery was not appealing to her, she is glad that she agreed to go ahead with the procedure.

“I am feeling much better,” she said. “I don’t have any pain and I feel taller. I don’t lean to the right when I walk and I am looking forward to trying out for cheerleading this fall at my high school.”

Brittany’s mom, Jennifer, is also pleased with the care she received at Brenner Children’s Hospital. “Dr. Frino was absolutely wonderful,” Jennifer said. “He took the time to explain everything to us and he made a point to speak directly to Brittany. She felt comfortable with him and trusted him. When we left his office after we had decided to move forward with the surgery, she said ‘I like him. He is going to take care of me.’ That trust made a huge difference to me.”

"Brittany’s outlook is good," Frino said. “She may need to have her hip replaced in a decade or so, but delaying that surgery has helped her enjoy her teenage years." 

Patients who are new to Brenner Children's Hospital may request and appointment by calling 336-716-WAKE or 888-716-WAKE.