By David DiPino dddipino@tribune.com
Artie Kornfeld needed to have his ailing right hip replaced. A record producer and avid golfer, he wanted to avoid a long recovery.
In February, orthopedic surgeon David Buchalter of South Palm Orthopedics performed a SUPERCAP hip replacement procedure on Kornfeld.
Last week, Kornfeld shot a 40 on the back nine at Villa Delray Golf Club. The 70-year-old producer, a former Capitol Records vice president who has worked on 120 platinum albums and promoted the Woodstock Festival, said he’s feeling good and is back to hosting his Internet radio show on ArtistFirst.com.
“I have a degenerative disease in both knees and hips,” he said. “I was relentless in pushing myself to the point that I needed a hip replacement. My regular doctor spotted it. It was degenerative, and I noticed it when I had an ache on the right side.”
Buchalter performed the surgery Feb. 23 at Delray Medical Center, 5352 Linton Blvd. After a day at the hospital in which he said staffers “got me up and walking,” Kornfeld went to Cornell Rehab at Bethesda Memorial Hospital, 2815 S. Seacrest Blvd. He was supposed to be at Cornell for a week. “But the hip worked so well I was out in three days,” he said.
A resident of The Colony neighborhood in Delray Beach, Kornfeld had a physical therapist come to the house three times a week for a month. Then he put the headphones back on and picked up the golf clubs.
“I really didn’t feel any pain,” he said. “Everything went so well that I wouldn’t be afraid having my other hip replaced. I have confidence in my doctor.”
Buchalter said Kornfeld owes his quick recovery to the SUPERCAP technique that was used in his procedure. Devised by Wright Medical Technology, SUPERCAP is designed to be minimally invasive. Because the hip is never dislocated during the procedure, the surrounding soft tissue is preserved. And because the incision is up to 7 inches smaller, there is less blood loss and less pain.
Not every patient is a candidate for SUPERCAP surgery. The procedure works best on those with tall, thin builds. During the operation, the muscle is split and the surgeon goes upward with the incision. A device that resembles a rod fit into a socket is inserted to replace the hip.
Buchalter said about 80 percent of his patients are candidates for SUPERCAP surgery. Kornfeld operation took about 45 minutes.
“The SUPERCAP is state-of-the-art,” Buchalter said. “I like it because we’re getting the best possible results with it and minimizing complications later.”
For more information, visit SouthPalmOrthapedics.com or call South Palm Orthopedics and Dr. David Buchalter at or request an appointment online and visit Dr. Buchalter for a consultation today!
Copyright © 2012, South Florida Sun-Sentinel.