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Joint replacement surgery is one of the most common surgeries performed in the U.S., with an estimate of more than 2 million people who receive a joint replacement every year.
Two of the most common joint replacement surgeries are total knee replacement and total hip replacement. As a joint replacement surgeon with more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Hibbitts performs both.
Orthopedic surgeons are medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and restoration of musculoskeletal ailments. They deal with bones and joints. Dr. Hibbitts has focused his specialized practice on the body’s most critical joints – shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles – and offers both surgical and nonsurgical joint treatment options.
Dr. John M. Hibbitts has more than 20 years of experience diagnosing and treating joint ailments. In 2021, he founded the Sunnyvale Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery Center to bring his expertise to the Sunnyvale community.
Dr. Hibbitts is an orthopedic surgeon who completed his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 2000. He has extensive training in Sports Medicine and hundreds of hours in experience as a joint replacement surgeon. His medical practice especially involves hip and knee surgeries that correct joint instability and re-instate full use and movement to your leg.
Extensive joint damage means the joint can be replaced with artificial prosthetics to reduce or eliminate pain, discomfort, and tightness and restore full mobility. Artificial joints are made of surgical-grade materials and designed to withstand wear for 15 years or longer.
Dr. Hibbitts performs joint replacement surgery with DePuy Synthes prosthetics, made from titanium, cobalt-chromium based alloys, high-grade polyethylene plastics, ceramic, or a ceramic-metal composite. Nickel-free designs are available for patients with nickel allergies.
Dr. Hibbitts offers several outpatient joint replacement surgery options. Although many surgeries require a stay in the hospital, joint replacements do not necessarily require a hospital stay. Whether you are a candidate for outpatient surgery depends on several factors. Discuss your options with Dr. Hibbitts during your knee-joint or hip joint replacement surgery consultation.
Arthritis, the most common cause for total or partial knee joint replacement, can contribute to knee injuries or weaken a joint, causing further complications.
Patients suffering from arthritis that deteriorates the knee joint are often candidates for knee joint replacement surgery.
Depending on what damage you’ve sustained to your knee joint, you may only need part of your knee structures replaced, or you may need a complete knee replacement. As an experienced joint replacement surgeon, Dr. Hibbitts performs both partial and total knee arthroplasty.
Arthritis can also cause deterioration to the soft tissues of the hip joint, making you a candidate for partial or total hip replacement.
A partial hip replacement removes damaged tissue from the end of the femur and replaces it with prosthetics, and a total hip joint replacement surgery removes damaged tissue from both the femur and the pelvis, replacing multiple structures in the hip with prosthetics.
Dr. Hibbitts uses outpatient hip replacement procedures whenever possible to minimize his patients' recovery time and the risks associated with surgery.
A complex “ball-and-socket" joint, your hip connects the trunk of your body (your lower abdomen) and your leg. A central joint in all leg movements, the hip moves both forward and backward and side to side as well as twisting in inward and outward motions. Several structures allow for all this flexibility and range of motion.
The need for hip joint replacement surgery is often caused by long-term damage to ligaments and cartilage. Over time, arthritis or repetitive motions may wear away these soft tissues that attach and protect the hip bones.
As an experienced joint replacement surgeon with more than 20 years of specializing in hip replacement, Dr. Hibbitts can identify the specific causes of hip pain and recommend whether partial or full joint replacement is the right choice for you.
“Snapping hip” syndrome is a condition where you experience non-painful “snapping” or “popping” in your hip. Known medically as “coxa saltans,” it is also commonly called “dancers’ hip.”
The “snap” in your hip can often be heard and seen. While it may not cause chronic pain, people with “snapping hip” report discomfort, tightness, and swelling with activity. “Snapping hip” can limit your range of motion and affect your quality of life.
In addition, it can become painful, and if not addressed, may lead to more severe symptoms.
If you have tried nonsurgical intervention for your snapping hip but have not found relief, discuss snapping hip surgery with Dr. Hibbitts. It may permanently relieve your ailment.
There are four surgical procedures that provide relief to the symptoms of snapping hip syndrome.
A 2021 study showed that up to 10% of the U.S. population experiences snapping hip syndrome. That means 30 million people live with discomfort and potential long-term effects in one of the body’s most integral joints.
If you experience snapping hip, consult with Dr. Hibbitts to determine if snapping hip surgery is the right option for you.
The gluteus medius muscle runs along the outside of your pelvis, helping to stabilize your hips and supporting a full range of motion, including twists, bends, and stretches. Although you likely use your gluteus medius every day, you may never really be aware of it unless there is a problem with it.
A gluteus medius tear happens when the muscle detaches from its anchors along the pelvis. These tears can completely or partially detach the muscle from the bone.
A torn gluteus medius muscle typically requires surgery to repair the damage completely and recover your pre-injury condition. Gluteus medius tear surgery restores most people to their full range of motion, allowing you to recover your lifestyle and activities.
The labrum is the cartilage that lines the hip joint, protecting it during movement and cushioning it from impacts. When the labrum is torn, the joint may slip out of place, become inflamed and sore, or begin to stiffen. Hip labral tears are most commonly caused by trauma, repeated motions, or degenerative conditions like arthritis.
Although torn labral cartilage can be treated with nonsurgical methods, persistent and ongoing pain might be best relieved with surgery. Depending on the extent and placement of the damage, Dr. Hibbitts may recommend surgery to remove scar tissue and repair existing cartilage, or he may recommend reconstruction, which involves transplanting tissue from the patient’s body or donor tissue.
If there are no complications, most patients return to work after their outpatient joint replacement surgery in as little as six weeks. For patients with jobs that require lifting, walking, or travel, Dr. Hibbitts may recommend extending your recovery period to three months or more.
The risks associated with outpatient joint replacement surgery are minimal and include:
Discuss your questions and concerns with our experienced joint replacement surgeon to understand which risks apply to you and your specific situation.
Joint replacement is one of the most common surgeries performed in the U.S., and patients with a joint replacement report excellent results. On average, knee replacements and total hip replacements are 90-95% effective at reducing pain in the affected areas.
Costs of joint replacement surgery vary depending on the joint being replaced and the replacement prosthetic and procedure used. As an experienced joint replacement surgeon, Dr. Hibbitts helps mitigate patients’ joint replacement costs by performing outpatient surgeries in all possible circumstances.
Surgeries deemed “medically necessary” are covered under Medicare, including hip and knee replacement surgeries. In addition, most insurance coverage includes joint replacement surgeries. Dr. Hibbitts recommends all patients review their insurance coverage to understand what – if any – joint replacement costs they may be expected to pay out-of-pocket.
Since 1994, John M. Hibbitts has worked with patients to alleviate their joint pain and improve their quality of life. As a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon, he has worked with patients in Texas, South Carolina, and Ohio. He founded the Sunnyvale Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Surgery Center in 2021.
In addition to becoming one of the premier joint replacement surgeons in the greater Dallas area, Dr. Hibbitts enjoys playing rugby and engaging in competitive marksmanship in his spare time. He practices karate and Jiu Jitsu, as well as being an active father of three children.