★★★★★ 4.8 Google Reviews
North Scottsdale residents don’t settle — not for where they live, and not for their healthcare. The golf courses here are among the finest in the country. Troon North’s Monument and Pinnacle courses. TPC Scottsdale, home of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Grayhawk’s Raptor and Talon courses. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve offers some of the most dramatic desert hiking in Arizona — the Tom’s Thumb summit, the Gateway Loop, miles of singletrack through protected Sonoran Desert. Kierland Commons and Scottsdale Quarter bring world-class dining and socializing within walking distance. Hip pain quietly erodes all of it. The round at Troon gets shortened. The Tom’s Thumb hike becomes a memory. The morning walk through Kierland becomes something you dread. It’s not just physical pain — it’s the loss of access to the life you’ve built here. Dr. Brandon Gough is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who practices right in North Scottsdale. His patients walk the same day as surgery, go home within 24 hours, and return to the courses and trails on a timeline that regularly surprises them.
| Traditional | Dr. Gough | |
|---|---|---|
| Incision | 10–12 inches | 4–6 inches |
| Muscle handling | Cut or detached | Fully preserved |
| Walking | Days after surgery | Same day |
| Recovery | 6–12 weeks | Weeks, not months |
| Restrictions | Long post-op list | None |
| Hospital stay | 2–4 days | Same day / 24 hrs |
Dr. Gough uses the Direct Superior approach to total hip replacement — a technique that does not cut or detach the major muscles around the hip. The joint is accessed through a 4-inch incision without twisting or overextending the leg. Because the muscles are preserved, recovery begins immediately: most patients stand and walk within hours of surgery, go home the same day, and face no post-surgery hip restrictions. For North Scottsdale patients, this matters in concrete terms. No long list of movements to avoid. No months of restricted recovery. A return to Troon North, to the McDowell Sonoran trails, to North Scottsdale life — measured in weeks, not months. For patients who have already had a hip replacement that is causing pain or instability, Dr. Gough also performs complex revision total hip replacement. Revision cases are more complex than primary replacements, which is exactly why experience and specialized training matter more — not less.
Most of Dr. Gough’s total hip replacement patients walk with assistance the same day as surgery and go home within 24 hours. In the first week, walking begins with a cane or walker and physical therapy starts. By weeks two and three, most patients are off assistive devices and returning to driving. By weeks three to four, many are walking the flat paths around their neighborhoods. By months two and three, most patients have returned to full activity — including Troon North, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve trails, and North Scottsdale life at full pace. Revision hip replacement recovery follows a longer timeline — typically one to two days in the facility, followed by a structured rehabilitation program over three months and continued improvement through the first year.
I was back on the Monument Course at Troon about ten weeks after surgery. No pain, full swing, walking all 18. Dr. Gough told me exactly what to expect and delivered on every single promise.
Dr. Brandon Gough is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and a leader in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement.
Dr. Brandon Gough is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon based in Scottsdale, Arizona. He specializes in hip and knee reconstruction and has performed over 8,000 procedures since 2013.
He is one of a select group of surgeons in the country trained in the Direct Superior approach to hip replacement — a technique that eliminates post-surgery restrictions and dramatically reduces recovery time. He is also a past consultant and educator for Stryker Orthopaedics, training surgeons from around the world in minimally invasive joint replacement techniques.
Beyond the operating room, Dr. Gough volunteers with Magis Clinic, Madonna School, Habitat for Humanity, and Sienna St. Francis Clinic. He believes that exceptional surgical care and genuine compassion go hand in hand.
Dr. Gough’s private practice is at 8575 E. Princess Dr., Suite 210, Scottsdale, AZ 85255 — in the heart of North Scottsdale near the 101 and Princess Drive. He also operates at Aloe Surgical Center and Abrazo Scottsdale Campus, both in the Scottsdale area.
Most patients return to golf within two to three months of total hip replacement using Dr. Gough’s Direct Superior technique. Because the surrounding muscles are preserved — not cut and rebuilt — the strength and stability needed for your swing are intact from day one. Dr. Gough will give you a specific activity plan at your consultation based on your goals and recovery progress.
Yes — for appropriate candidates, same-day discharge is as safe as an overnight hospital stay and produces equivalent outcomes. Dr. Gough’s technique causes significantly less soft tissue trauma than traditional approaches, which means patients are stable, mobile, and ready to go home within hours of surgery. Every patient is monitored closely before discharge is confirmed.
Most major insurance plans — including PPO plans common among North Scottsdale professionals — cover hip replacement when it is medically necessary. Dr. Gough’s team will verify your insurance benefits before your consultation so there are no surprises. Gough Surgical accepts most major PPO plans including United Healthcare, Cigna, Aetna, Ambetter, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Call 602-359-3088 or complete the form to schedule your consultation with Dr. Gough. His team will review your imaging, assess your hip, and give you a direct, honest recommendation on whether hip replacement is right for you — and what your recovery would realistically look like.
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Content on this website is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Each patient’s condition, treatment plan, and results are unique. Patient testimonials reflect individual experiences and are not a guarantee of similar outcomes.