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Rhoda and Mary Perlin opted for hip surgery at the same time.

Joined At The Hip

West Bloomfield couple have
hips replaced on same day.

M

It may be beautiful on the
outside but it's what's on th
inside that counts

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46 October 29 • 2015

iN

ary and Rhoda Perlin
fell in love as teenagers,
graduated from Wayne
State University together, got married,
became teachers and raised three sons.
After 61 years of marriage, they still do
everything together, including getting
their hips replaced.
Marv, 82, and Rhoda, 81, mem-
bers of Congregation Shaarey Zedek
in Southfield, were both living with
hip pain. She needed her right hip
replaced. His left hip was worn out.
So, the Perlins visited Beaumont
orthopedic surgeon James Verner,
M.D., to talk about their options.
Verner confirmed the couple needed
surgery and asked if they'd like to have
their surgeries on the same day.
"Neither one of us was capable of
taking care of the other because of
our hip issues. We were too weak. We
looked at each other and decided to go
for it:' says Rhoda.
Verner assured the couple they
didn't need to live with hip pain any-
more.
"Many people in their early 80s live
with aches and pains that won't go
away:' he says. "But, the Perlins were
both in great shape for their ages and I
knew surgery could help them:'
On the day of their surgeries, the
West Bloomfield couple arrived at
Beaumont Hospital-Royal Oak and
went through the registration and pre-
operation process together.
"Everyone kept saying, 'A husband
and wife ... the same day?' They were
all laughing and questioning. It made
it easier to get through the morning;'
Rhoda says.
Verner performed Marv's sur-
gery using the anterior approach on
Beaumont's HANA operating table.
Surgeons who perform the ante-
rior procedure can use the specially
designed table to position patients in
a way that no muscles are cut. Less

cutting of muscles typically results in a
faster recovery.
"This state-of-the-art table allows
the option of cradling the top of the
thigh bone, the femur bone, and lifting
it sufficiently enough to introduce new
implants with less risk of fracturing
the bone Verner explains. "If you go
between muscles instead of cutting
them, those side and back tissues
remain undisturbed. Then the patient
can have immediate stability after
surgery:'
Rhoda will have a slightly longer
recovery. She was not eligible for the
anterior approach and required a tra-
ditional posterior approach surgery,
which involves cutting and repairing
muscles to reach the hip.
Despite the different techniques,
both surgeries went well and, of
course, the couple asked to share the
same room in the hospital. Rhoda and
Mary wanted to encourage each other
throughout the recovery process.
"There was a certain amount of
comfort being there with a loved
one, knowing they're OK and you're
OK," Mary says. "They told us we
were the second couple to ever
be in the same room like that in
Beaumont's history:'
Rhoda adds, "Mary had to encour-
age me more because he was getting
up and around more. I was not able to
do that as quickly:'
A few days later, they went to a
rehabilitation center together and have
now returned home.
"Couples can support each other
through every step of the process:'
Verner says. "Plus, they can truly
understand what their partner is going
through and help keep each other on
track during physical therapy:'
Mary agrees, "Having surgery
together on the same day was the right
choice for us. If we could do it again,
we would:' *

