Miami, July 29th, 2014 – In the world of medicine, when real communication exists between patients and doctors, the good can be transformed into the excellent. This happened when specialists (implementing their expertise with passion) were able to talk about an inconvenient truth with their patients. In a new clinical research, a repetitive pattern was found in patients with hip problems in regard to their sexual lives. The Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin research team conducted an investigation concerning Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) and the sexual activity of patients. They found that before surgery, arthritic pain in the hip interfered with a fulfilled sexual experience and diminished the quality of life of many patients. Pain associated with hip arthritis could be reduced and even eliminated with a THA. Unfortunately, many orthopedists do not consider limitations in sexual activity as a prime indication for a Total Hip Arthroplasty. This new investigation made a clear connection between THA and an improved quality of life.

The study was developed and completed by Carlos J. Lavernia M.D., Jesus M. Villa M.D. and David A. Iacobelli M.D. and it was presented during the 2014 Florida Orthopaedic Society (FOS) Annual Meeting. Dr. Jesus M. Villa was awarded first place for his podium presentation of the study. This new investigation was awarded during the Fellowship Research Competition and it surpassed all other universities in the state of Florida. The FOS is a premier organization that promotes the highest quality musculoskeletal health for the citizens of Florida. Dr. Lavernia has been an active member of the organization for more than 15 years. He was elected as the official first Vice-President of the FOS Board of Directors during the aforementioned 2014 annual meeting.

To better understand the relationships between limitations in sexual activity and hip arthritis, the investigators evaluated (before surgery) more than one hundred sexually active patients who needed a total hip arthroplasty. Patients answered questions regarding their quality of life and sexual limitations. The average age was 65 years. Before surgery, about 95% of females and 70% of males reported having sexual limitations due to the disease in their hips. Patients with sexual limitations had decreased motion and higher pain in the hip than those patients without sexual limitations.

The doctors at the Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin demonstrated that a large percentage of patients undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty are sexually active even though many of them are in the third age. They also demonstrated that hip osteoarthritis plays a key role in the impaired sexual life of these patients. A total hip replacement could correct most of the pain and limitations presented before surgery.

The following are testimonials from grateful patients who are comfortable speaking out about their improvements in sexual activity and/or overall quality of life.

“Before my Total Hip Arthroplasty I was experiencing difficulties sitting, walking and during sexual activities. Now, I can do it all with a little caution. Total Hip Arthroplasty hasn’t prevented me from my daily routine; actually it has made it easier. Dr. Lavernia and the Larkin team changed my life for the better,” stated Marvin Jimenez (Bilateral total hip replacements).

“After my total hip replacement, my personal life has seen significant improvement. I’m back to doing the things I enjoy and spending quality time with my loved ones. I recently began walking a few miles every day and I noticed that my flexibility and stamina has increased. The attentiveness and support that was demonstrated by Dr. Lavernia and his team was very beneficial to my recovery,” explained Maritza Gomez (Right Total Hip Replacement).

These accomplishments were not only recognized by satisfied patients but also by other outstanding specialists in the field of medicine and by Larkin Hospital authorities.

“We are very proud of Dr. Lavernia’s accomplishments at the Florida Orthopaedic Society Annual Meeting. Dr. Lavernia and his team continue to set the gold standard in the care of orthopedic patients. We are honored to have physicians of his caliber as members of The Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin,” stated Sandy Sosa-Guerrero, CEO of Larkin Community Hospital.

About Dr. Carlos J. Lavernia, MD, FAAOS

Carlos J. Lavernia, MD, FAAOS, world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and biomedical engineer, is Medical Director of the new Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin Hospital. He is also a voluntary clinical professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, and courtesy and adjunct professor at the Department of Physical Therapy, the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, at Florida International University.

Dr. Lavernia graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Biomedical Engineering. He received his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico Medical School. He also completed General Surgery Internship, a Surgeon Scientist NHI Fellowship and an Orthopedic Surgery Residency at the University of California San Diego. Subsequently, Dr. Lavernia completed a Lower Extremity Reconstruction Fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

He is past president of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, the largest joint replacement organization in the world. He sits on the Florida Orthopedic Society Board and is currently the Second Vice-president.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Lavernia has developed hip and knee implants and robotic technology with multinational companies that have been used in millions of surgeries throughout the world and, has conducted numerous studies in the field of orthopedics. He has written many book chapters and has published over 300 abstracts and peer-reviewed articles in major journals. He also founded with 5 other surgeons Operation Walk USA, a private, non‐profit, volunteer medical service organization, which provides free hip and knee replacements in the USA to those who cannot afford it. Dr. Lavernia has also embarked on medical missions with Operation Walk International in over 15 countries, where similar surgeries have been performed. For more info on Op Walk USA visit www.opwalkusa.com

About The Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin:

The Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin specializes in advanced orthopedic surgery using the latest multimodal perioperative pain management modalities and state of art technology and instrumentation with advanced robotic technology. The center, led by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Carlos Lavernia, includes a robust outcomes-oriented research component with an ongoing prospective surgical registry and a comprehensive rehabilitation department

About Larkin Community Hospital:

Larkin Community Hospital (LCH) is a 146-bed acute care hospital located in South Miami. LCH is one of 12 designated Statutory Teaching Hospitals in Florida and the largest teaching hospital for Osteopathic physicians in the United States, offering the largest number of training programs (offering training in 30 different specialties in total). LCH sponsors an allopathic residency program in Psychiatry. LCH presently offers an Associate Degree in Nursing at its Nursing School.

The hospital is also the home of:

The Miami Neuroscience Center at Larkin, a state of the art facility which specializes in Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. This 25-member team, led by neurosurgeon Dr. Aizik Wolf, has performed over 8,000 procedures during the past 20 years. Gamma Knife is a non-invasive state of the art neurological procedure used to treat brain tumors, head and neck cancer, and neurological conditions such as trigeminal neuralgia and arteriovenous malformations.

LCH is the only hospital in Miami-Dade County with an Area of Critical Need designation by the Florida Board of Medicine.

Our facilities are a National Health Services Corps (NHSC) site designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The NHSC Loan Repayment Program offers primary care providers the opportunity to have their student loans repaid for serving communities in need. The NHSC Scholarship Program awards scholarships each year to students pursuing careers in primary care. In return, students commit to serving for two to four years upon graduation and completion of training. For more information about Larkin Community Hospital, visit www.larkinhospital.com.

For more information on Dr. Carlos Lavernia

and The Center for Advanced Orthopedics at Larkin, Visit: www.larkinorthopedics.com

Email: [email protected], Tel: +1(305) 917-0777.