Anne-Marie Jacobs

Anne-Marie Jacobs’s story, in their own words

When I was 15 months old I was diagnosed with septic hip on my left side. During my 3 week hospital stay, I underwent 2 surgeries to rid the infection & clean up my hip. I underwent a third surgery to put in place a central line to administer antibiotics for the next 8 weeks. Everything seemed like a success. Fast forward 12 1/2 years later. I had developed a leg length discrepancy of 1 1/2 inches, with my left leg being shorter. Dr. Daniel Green saw me and felt the best treatment would be to stunt the growth of my right leg. I underwent surgery to install two screws above my right knee growth plates.

26 months later, I underwent another surgery to remove the screws. It worked and my left leg was only 1/4 inch shorter. Although my legs were almost the same length, Dr. Green said I would need a hip replacement before my time. At age 18 I could not take the pain any longer. Dr. Su agreed to the surgery during my winter break from college. I was fortunate enough that Dr. Su had made a bikini line incision so it would be less noticeable in a bathing suit. Six weeks later I was back in college and continued therapy at school. Less than a year later am now exercising and snowboarding.

I thank Dr. Green and Dr. Su for all you have done for me.

Published by the Hospital for Special Surgery in its Back in the Game archive in March 2015, and reproduced here in full. Read it on hss.edu →

Sport or activity

Snowboarding, Crew

Treating surgeon

Dr. Daniel W. Green

HSS care team

Edwin P. Su, MD