Nuevo resident Beth Barney had a surgery known as metal-on-metal hip resurfacing in 2000 and has since rebuilt her life, even competing in a triathlon at Lake Perris in 2010.

"I dreaded going shopping or to the mall," the Nuevo resident recalled. "That meant walking and standing, and at this time I could only walk about a block before needing to stop and rest."

Beth Barney and her husband met with Dr. Amstutz, who said she was a perfect candidate for a surgery called hip resurfacing. Dr. Amstutz, professor emeritus of orthopedic surgery at UCLA, is the founding director of the Joint Replacement Institute, located at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The surgery in September 2000 was, at the time, experimental. It is a less invasive, bone-conserving technique that uses a metal-on-metal device that Dr. Amstutz developed to treat patients with hip injury, arthritis, or other hip ailments. The device was approved by the FDA in November 2009. During the procedure, bone is conserved by resurfacing the femoral head instead of resecting it, as in total hip replacement.

Beth Barney still remembers the day her life changed: "When I woke up from surgery, as sick as I was from the anesthesia, I remember lying there and all of a sudden realizing that my hip did not hurt," she recalled.

Today, she can play with her five children, all born since the procedure, go shopping and exercise. "These are things I don't take for granted any more and I hope I never will," said Beth .

last year, Beth put her hip to the ultimate test, participating in a sprint triathlon at Lake Perris. The event included an 800-yard swim, a 12-mike bike ride and a 5K run. She finished seventh woman overall and first among women in her age group, completing the three events in 97 minutes.

"It was so exhilarating and rewarding to do something like this triathlon and to be able to compete again," she said.