Beacon patient regains independence with innovative treatment, custom 3D-printed hip joint

Sue Grattenthaler’s health problems reached a crisis point in 2023 when she found herself restricted to a wheelchair, filled with fear about an uncertain future. But the compassionate, expert care of Beacon’s Bone & Joint Specialists team has helped Sue regain both her mobility and her positive outlook on life.

Sue Grattenthaler

Life-altering joint problems

Over the years, Sue had experienced her share of medical issues, including painful arthritis. But her daily life continued as usual, with the help of a cane when shopping. She even had a hip replacement in her hometown of Michigan City, but when her hip replacement started dislocating several years later, things took a turn for the worse.

A hip dislocation, during which the thigh bone slips out of the hip socket, is a painful medical emergency. For Sue, it happened repeatedly. She had to begin using a walker, and the condition severely impacted her quality of life. She even missed her son’s wedding because her hip dislocated the day of the ceremony.

After two revision surgeries to correct the issue, her problem still wasn’t solved. That’s when she was referred to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan O’Rourke, Beacon Medical Group Ireland Road. Her first visit with him was in late 2023.

“Unfortunately for Sue, her hip was chronically dislocated, infected, and she had loose hip replacement components with substantial bone loss in the pelvis, as well as a fracture,” Dr. O’Rourke said. “She had a very complex problem that would require a complex solution.”

He told Sue he would need to remove her artificial hip joint and place a temporary one that secretes antibiotics while the infection was addressed. An infectious disease specialist would need to treat her hip infection with intravenous antibiotics for a full three months before she could get a new hip.

“He was very honest with me, and I think that was helpful,” Sue said. “He didn’t want to give me false hope, but he still came across like he really thought he could help me. He gave me a lot of hope.”

During this challenging time, she couldn’t put any weight on her left leg. “Basically, I was wheelchair-bound,” she explained. Irritation in her hip from the temporary implant caused problems and had to be removed.

“At that point, my life was on hold. I was afraid I’d be in a wheelchair forever,” she says. “That’s when I got really scared.”

Dr. Ryan O’Rourke

A new, 3D-printed hip joint

Finally, she finished her antibiotics, and in March 2024, she underwent revision hip replacement surgery with Dr. O’Rourke. He chose a special custom artificial hip joint, one that would rebuild her pelvis despite the bone loss.

By this time, Sue felt as though she had been struggling with her hip for an eternity.

“I was still scared. I was getting depressed,” she said. The infection had left her fearful that bone loss would prevent the new hip from holding her weight. “(But) I never had any doubt in Dr. O’Rourke.”

Dr. O’Rourke understood Sue’s concerns, but he was confident in his surgical plan.

“Sue’s pelvic bone loss was so substantial that the only way it could be rebuilt was through a custom 3D-printed acetabular triflange (hip socket) component,” Dr. O’Rourke said. “We had to get a special CT scan of her hip that allowed a company to build and design a special hip socket specific to Sue’s anatomy to accommodate her bone loss.”

This ability to use 3D printing technologies is a newer and growing science being implemented in complex joint reconstruction like Sue’s. “It is truly state-of-the-art in revision joint replacement surgery,” Dr. O’Rourke said.

With Dr. O’Rourke’s expertise, a final revision surgery and extensive therapy to rebuild her strength, Sue finally regained a fully functional hip joint, and she has her life back.

She’s walking again, living independently and taking family trips without fear. Best of all, she’s able to spend more precious time with her three-year-old granddaughter.

“I’m just so grateful to Dr. O’Rourke, because I really thought I wouldn’t be able to walk again,” she said. “I think he is amazing.”

Learn more

When your daily life and routines have changed because of bone fractures, joint, muscle or tendon pain, it’s time to see the experts. Beacon Bone and Joint Specialists provide expert orthopedic care while helping you get back to doing what you love.