How important is a surgeon's age?

[sfbaylover]

Hello,

Long-time member here who is planning on having right hip replacement surgery performed this year. I have two bad hips (as a result of having SCFE as a teenager), but my right hip is the worst, so I'm going to tackle that one first.

One question I have is the following:

How important a factor is a surgeon's age when selecting a potential hip surgeon? It's something that I have never considered previously but have only recently begun to ponder. Would you feel more comfortable with an older, more experienced surgeon (possibly one who is 65-75) or a younger, less experienced surgeon (40-50), assuming both surgeons were actual hip specialists who, despite their differences in age and experience, were both still highly qualified and capable surgeons?

In my case, my chosen surgeon is 74 years old and is slowly winding down his practice, to the point where he is performing hip replacement surgeries one day a week (on Wednesdays only), so I'm assuming that he is nearing retirement. He does, however, have a boatload of surgical experience, and is the current Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus at one of the highest-rated orthopedic hospitals in the U.S (He was the actual Surgeon-in-Chief at this very same facility for over a decade -- until 2014). He also has a full surgical calendar (surgeries booked several months in advance) and travels extensively for orthopedic seminars and lectures, so he's still very much engaged in and involved with his profession.

And as I mentioned previously here, I never before much considered the age of a surgeon to be a potential factor in choosing a particular surgeon (except for extremely young surgeons: I never fancied being operated on by a just-starting-out surgeon or by a surgeon with only a few years' experience; rather, I always felt it "safer" to go to an older, more seasoned surgeon).

Any thoughts about anything that I have mentioned here? Is there a demarcation to where you would say a surgeon is either too young or too old, at least generally speaking?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[jaydub63]

I'm thinking of my relationship with my OS as a long-term commitment - while I'm 6 months past the surgery itself, I'll still be needing checkups on some regular basis (I think annual or every few years is recommended). This is someone I expect to be seeing for many years into the future so that he is familiar with my particular case. I guess my surgeon is somewhere in the middle, probably mid-40's, so not near the end of his time in practice, but not fresh out of school either. Going with someone older is probably fine as well, if you are comfortable with the idea that you'll probably have to eventually go to someone else for monitoring. But the same thing would happen if you move, etc., so not the end of the world. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Layla]

Hi @sfbaylover - I love San Francisco Bay too!!
First I'd do some research and listen to others recommendations. I feel I'd prefer the experience of the seasoned surgeon. I'd want to know how many surgeries he performs annually and complication rate.

I felt the same way jaydub63 does (above) I wanted to find someone who was experienced but young enough that if I needed my other hip replaced there's a good possibility he'd still be with the practice. Well, my surgeon, age 51, had a very good reputation and had been with the large practice for approx 20 yrs and left under scandal. Approx six months post op.....gone! So you really can't count on them to be there indefinitly.

Best of luck moving forward!

 

[dlp]

For me, age is not that important as long as they have the experience. Advantage to youth is that they might be more versed in new and improved methods. Older surgeons can bring experience and knowledge that makes the surgery go smooth as silk. I don't think I'd be bothered too much by any age, though I think I prefer older than mid-30s just for that extra bit of seasoning. (But I would still talk to and consider someone younger if they came recommended)

That being said, I want the same guy to do both of my hips. So if I were in your particular situation I'd be talking to the surgeon about his plans for the next few years. Whether he'll be around to do your 2nd hip, or if not, does he have colleagues or partners that you can meet with in case he doesn't plan to be around to do hip #2

Good luck!

p.s. I live in the Bay Area and I love it too!

 

[Eman85]

Pretty odd question. It's not so much age as dedication to what they are doing and the patient. No different than any job. As for the 2 hip deal I have the same condition and my L hip was worse. My surgeon is in the 40-50 range so he should be around if I want the 2nd done. The biggest thing was how dedicated he is to his profession and my outcome. Also how many hips he's done and how he was trained. How motivated is a 74yo surgeon that's "winding down his practice"? He might be exceptional, that's for you to decide.
On a separate issue I have asked Dr.s and surgeons how their pay structure works. Not how much they make but how they earn it. Many GP's are total productivity, need to see so many patients a day to make their quota. No real interest in the patient, just prescribe something nd out the door. No way you can even discuss anything more than the 1 reason for the appointment, need to make another appointment to up the patient count.

 

[alexthecat]

For me, I think it's more about experience than age. I'd want a surgeon with a good amount of experience and a decent record of good outcomes.

Several years ago, I recall a member who asked a surgeon how old he was. (She said here on the forum that he looked like a teenager.) He became very offended and stormed out of the room. She ended up picking a different surgeon.

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

 

[sequin98]

I would care less about the age than the experience.
The OS I used has 25 years experience. The other OS I could have chosen had 9 years.

 

[Bone-obo]

Ditto on experience. I want the surgeon to have fixed so many hips that she’s seen it all - last thing I want to hear about my hip is “never seen one like that before!”

 

[Mojo333]

I want the surgeon to have fixed so many hips that she’s seen it all

Love that answer.

 

[anny]

the only age-related thought I've had is whether they have to be fairly strong to do the dislocation? Decided in the end they probably have instruments and/or a strong assistant to help them, so not an issue! Would think the best combination would be older (experienced) who believes there are still things to learn

 

[Josephine]

How important a factor is a surgeon's age

It''s not but do take into consideration that as a surgeon ages, his case throughput lessens.

In my case, my chosen surgeon is 74 years old and is slowly winding down his practice, to the point where he is performing hip replacement surgeries one day a week (on Wednesdays only), so I'm assuming that he is nearing retirement. He does, however, have a boatload of surgical experience

Exactly - And one day a week is too little for my tastes. He might have a lot of experience but is it current?

is the current Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus at one of the highest-rated orthopedic hospitals in the U.S

When surgeons take on these kinds of roles, inevitably their case loads reduces considerably.

 

[sfbaylover]

@Josephine

Good points! I focused primarily on how experienced my surgeon is overall, but I failed to account for how "current" his experience is. I do know that he is one of the most highly recommended surgeons at HSS, so I figured he must still be current. He does have a son who is early into his practice, so maybe his son would be preferable, as he is fresher out of medical school and likely has a much higher workload!...But I still feel that the elder surgeon is a top-notch guy, so I will have to continue to ponder and weigh any potential pros and cons.

 

[Josephine]

I think somebody else said it - you need a surgeon who IS doing around 200 hips a year. The more the better.

 

[Mojo333]

Wow @sfbaylover .
Just read of the great hip debacle on another thread...broken pins and all the rest..makes my two new hips hurt
Certainly hope you are on your way to an excellent outcome.
Sounds like you have one hard row to hoe.
Wishing you all the best.
Do you have a date yet?