Dr. Ralph Theodore Lidge, MD

My mother was scheduled to have one of the earliest fda approved total hip replacements in the USA by dr Lidge in 1970. She had been a professional ballerina for 10 years which deteriorated both hips to the point where she was unable to walk without a cane and severe pain. She had small children in 1970 so was Leary of having a newly approved procedure. I remember her calling the 5 different people who dr lidge had successfully performed the procedure on. Ultimately she chickened out and waited another 10 years to 1980 and 1981 for Dr Lidge to successfully perform hip replacements on each hip. Waiting had its downside in that her joints deteriorated severely leaving the procedure not as successful the the advancements in materials and procedures were well worth the wait. The hardest part was actually never having seen my mother walk without a cane until 1981 and seeing her in so much pain throughout my childhood until she had the procedures when she was 56 years old Dr lodge was a… pioneer and made a significant contribution to relieving many of pain and suffering