Thomas G Sampson, MD

Update: It has been nearly three years since my surgery. My hips still feel great! There have been a few times when I overdid the running and had some inflammation. When that happens, I back off and a few weeks later, my hips are good to go again. I check in with Dr. Sampson once a year, as he is interested in tracking my progress over time. Like many others I will forever feel indebted to Dr. Sampson.

One year post surgery. I am in less pain that before but sitting and sleeping remain an issue. The good news is I don’t have arthritis, the bad news is Dr. S doesn’t think my hip healed correctly. BTW I am part of the 5% group that this happens to. That means steroid injections and possibly another surgery. Boo.

Dr. Sampson performed a hip resurfacing on my right hip in 2005. Eight years later I have full range of motion, and limited pain. I ran 2 marathons in 2012. I am very happy with the result of my surgery.
The human body is not indestructable. I have had other surgeries, on other body parts, and the success rate is varied. Partly due to the human body, partly due to ageing, partly due to who performed the surgery, partly due to working the physical therapy later. There are multiple factors involved in recovery.
As to my hip, Dr. Sampson performed very well, and a year later I was downhill skiing. I still have issues, but now, eight years later, I am very happy with my right hip, and am glad I did not get a full hip replacement. I cannot imagine a surgery going smoother that what I experienced with my right hip. (And I have had other surgery, and it was less smooth. Still successful, but less smooth.)

I went to see Dr Sampson for a consultation in hip arthroscopy for a very, very difficult nerve problem. Except for the fact that he doen’t take insurance and that first consultation costed me $ 480, he seems very good, took one hour to explain my problem and what he could do to fix. He also seems to be the one hip surgeon doing arthroscopy that people with difficult cases go to. That way he gets the necessary experience. The cost of the surgery is around $ 55k including hospital costs, assistant and anesthesia. Again, he doesn’t take insurance… The insurance thing clearly costs him a star or more. I mean what good it is to have excellent care if you cannot afford it?
I ended up having surgery with Dr. Kao

Five-​weeks, post-​op, I am sitting in my nursing scrubs as I get ready for my first day back to work. I have to stop at my computer to thank Dr. Sampson before heading out to do the job I love.
My history included twelve years of pain, with visits and treatment by four other physicians over the course of those years. After an MRI revealed a tear, another physician performed an arthroscopic procedure on my right hip three months ago, only to close me back up and tell me that «nothing was wrong.» My ongoing pain told me differently. Thankfully, she referred me to Dr. Sampson; he took one look at my MRI and could see that I had pincer-​type impingement, along with some damage resulting from the congenital condition.
I only wish I had known more about hip impingement so I would have been a more informed patient/​consumer. Had that been the case, I would have selected Dr. Sampson to care for me from the start. It seems that I am wasn’t alone in my limited knowledge about this condition, based on my very limited experience I had with the physicians and radiologist who were involved in my case.
Lastly, and very importantly, Dr. Sampson is one of the kindest physicians I have ever met. From my first visit with him, I felt that he cared about my history, my outcome and my goals. That isn’t always the case, sadly.
Thank you for getting me back to my life and my dreams, Dr. Sampson. Your grateful patient, Mary

Dr Sampson is a wonderful person, I enjoyed my appointments with him tremendously.
However, my surgery was a complete and utter failure, despite his assurance that I had a «90% chance» of being «fully-​restored» after surgery with him. I never had any pain relief after surgery with Dr Sampson and seven years later I have Stage 4 osteoarthritis with massive bone deformity. I am 34 years old and scheduled for hip resurfacing surgery, hoping to put off a total hip replacement for another 15 years.
The hip replacement or hip resurfacing doctors I saw, as well as the medical journal articles I read, told me that hip arthroscopy can hasten the deterioration of a mildly arthritic joint. Thus, you need to be absolutely sure that you do not have the beginning stages of arthritis BEFORE you have arthroscopic surgery, because you are only going to make things worse. Dr Sampson «found» my arthritis after my surgery. Shouldn’t he have seen it before surgery? Talking to the total hip replacement doctors suggests that he should have.
But don’t take my word for it, please do your own research. Get second opinions from total hip replacement doctors, as they clean up the damage caused by arthroscopy.
Also, a friend of a friend is in the exact same position I am in after surgery with Dr Sampson.

My Hip is all messed up after a surgery from Dr. Sampson. It’s been a year since I had it and I had to give up most of my jobs as a professional Dancer/​Dance instructor. Doctor told me I would be able to go back to dance in a short time, but hasn’t happened. I am still seeing a Physical Therapist. I have a lot more pain than before the surgery and feel like I am disability… I am very very sad… Having surgery is the last choice, you need to think about it very serious. I regret I did.

I have several times and will continue to recommend Dr Thomas Sampson to anyone who is thinking about hip reconstructive surgery. Having lived with spinal and joint deformation and constant irritation for most of my life, I grew to accept the discomfort as normal. After moving to California, I met with a local arthritis specialist and he investigated why I had more intense pain levels, than arthritis would indicate, by ordering an MRI test. After reviewing my test results, he recommended and arranged for me to see who he considered to be «the best», Dr Sampson. And after my initial visit with Dr Sampson, I was so thoroughly informed, encouraged, and relieved that I might finally have my condition corrected, I agreed to the surgery. While I have not had any surgeries prior, this was not something I would agree to very easily.
As I near my two year anniversary from the arthroscopic surgery to correct bilateral Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI), I have great mobility (I work out with a personal trainer twice weekly) and am virtually pain free, a fact that I have not experienced since my early teens. I am now aged 52 years.
Thank you Dr Sampson for giving me a new lease on life. I am thrilled.

I’m 15 days into recovery from hip arthroscopy for FAI with Dr. Sampson. I’ll report back on my progress in a few months but for now I feel great. I was on 2 crutches for a few days and transitioned to one crutch or no crutch thereafter, depending on comfort level.
I can not say enough good things about Dr. Sampson. I lived with hip pain for 4 years until I was diagnosed with FAI by another doctor about 8 months ago. I went to Dr. Sampson for a second opinion and the initial visit was so informative and refreshing I decided to go with him. I’m accustomed to doctor’s swinging into a room, making a quick proclamation, and then leaving with no time for you to ask questions. At my first visit, and every visit thereafter Dr. Sampson has sat down with me and discussed in detail the procedure, recovery, etc. He’s responded to all of my calls and emails in a compassionate and informative manner. His staff is equally attentive.
If you are considering hip surgery you owe it to yourself to at least meet with Dr. Sampson. I’ll be surprised to hear if you don’t go with Dr. Sampson after meeting with him.
If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact me.
Chris M.

I had surgery 9÷1÷10 — impingement and Dr. Sampson performed a bilateral hip arthroscopy. I spent the 10 months prior and thousands of dollars trying to get a diagnosis and endured everything from accupuncture, physical therapy (going on a year now), doctors galore, 1^st opinions, 2^nd opinions, and finally got in to see Dr. Sampson — he’s who the other doctors go to. He is so personable and makes you feel very safe about putting your trust in his expertise. He knows what he is doing.
I walked on crutches for 2 – 3 days and was back to work in a week and now walking around fine. I can’t start running and jumping just yet, but soon. I love visiting with him post-​op because he’s such a great, genuine person — on top of being a great surgeon. His office staff is amazing, as well.
I am telling any and everyone that I know about him. If you have an inkling of hip pain — make an appt. with Dr. Sampson — I would not recommend going anywhere else as he is the BEST. I would have traveled across the country to have him do my surgery. I’m recovering nicely — I can actually sit without pain now and I never thought that it would have been possible.

I originally went to see Dr. Sampson for a second opinion on a diagnosis of Femoroacetabular Impingement and ended up feeling so comfortable with him during the consultation that I decided to have him perform the procedure instead of my original surgeon.
Despite being a committed marathon runner/​triathlete who’s not afraid of some pain, I was definitely nervous about the surgery itself as well as the recovery period. Dr. Sampson made time for several after-​hours telephone calls with me to address my specific concerns, and by the time the surgery date arrived, I felt fully prepared for the event.
The surgery is conducted in the adjoining Post Street Surgery Center, and is unlike any facility I’ve ever been to. Unlike large, impersonal hospitals, the Surgery Center was a small, private setting that at times felt almost spa like (my IV was put in while I relaxed in a recliner in a private pre-​op room).
The surgery went swimmingly and I kid you not, I literally walked (with the steadying help of some crutches) out of the Surgery Center a few hours later. The first few days after the procedure were a little uncomfortable (albeit less so thanks to the Vicodin), but within a week I was able to walk without crutches and within three weeks I was able to do some light spinning on a stationary bike.
During my initial recovery period and bi-​monthly follow-​up visits Dr. Sampson and his team were always available and attentive. And, best of all for someone who can’t imagine a life without physical activity, Dr. Sampson was encouraging and helpful in developing benchmarks for a return to running.
Perhaps the best compliment I can offer as to the effectiveness of Dr. Sampson and the procedure is that almost 11 months to the day after my surgery I ran the NYC Marathon pain free (well, free of the pain I had before the surgery — evidently there’s still no cure for lactic acid build-​up).
I can’t recommend Dr. Sampson highly enough. Even if you ultimately choose to see someone else, he is someone you’ll want to talk to if you’re considering hip surgery.

I would highly recommend Dr. Thomas Sampson to anyone. As well as being an expert in his field he is an extremely kind and compassionate man. He takes the time to explain things to you and answers all your questions so that you fully understand everything — his staff are all wonderful too!
I had been in horrendous pain for years and had visited several hip surgeons in Southern California who were unable to diagnose my pain. My husband found Dr Sampson after researching my hip symptons online. We communicated with Dr Sampson via email and phone, and after reviewing my MRI and xray films. he knew exactly what my problem was.
I had arthroscopic hip surgery 10 weeks ago and can confidentally say that Dr. Sampson gave me a large part of my life back. My mystery pain is now gone and if it weren’t for a pre-​existing back condition, I believe I would be pain free today! I cannot say how grateful I am to have been treated by such a wonderful doctor.