I guess. But it all depends on what you do with it once you've got it and the fact that it holds up on elderly osteoporotic ladies who probably don't cycle, lift weights at the gym or hike rough mountain trails doesn't cover my use cases.
Andy Murray (the tennis player) had a hip resurfaced in 2019 and it's still considered to be the best thing to do if it's a choice between that and a full prosthesis for someone who's really active. The 2014 paper I linked to says that the guidelines saying 60-65 as the upper bound for the operation are mistaken.
What's key for me is mobility and the chance to continue what I was doing until late last year when the pain really started to bite. From everything I've read and been told to date, a resurface is more likely to make this possible than a full prosthesis and that revisions can be made to a resurface and they're easier to make than to a full prosthesis.
None of it is ideal and if I think too hard about it, it's just all on the route to the crematorium. I very much would prefer that I didn't have osteoarthritis, tinnitus, or painful knees.
One way or another, you'll never be able to get an MRI scan once they put a hunk of metal in you.
I hope you find the solution you've been looking for. I feel like I dodged a bullet with the remarkable improvement in my knee. I have a feeling it might be temporary, and it's still a little cranky at times.
I lost so much weight and radically changed my diet. My condition before getting into shape was that I was pretty much in the pre-gout stage. I had enormous, painful bunions on both feet, and my right foot and leg were visibly swollen. My bunions are now almost gone! The doctor had a picture of my right foot two years ago and he said it was vastly improved. Anyway, calcium deposits in my joints were likely greatly reduced by my radical lifestyle change. It was hard work, but I feel lucky now.
I hope you find the solution you've been looking for. I feel like I dodged a bullet with the remarkable improvement in my knee. I have a feeling it might be temporary, and it's still a little cranky at times.
I lost so much weight and radically changed my diet. My condition before getting into shape was that I was pretty much in the pre-gout stage. I had enormous, painful bunions on both feet, and my right foot and leg were visibly swollen. My bunions are now almost gone! The doctor had a picture of my right foot two years ago and he said it was vastly improved. Anyway, calcium deposits in my joints were likely greatly reduced by my radical lifestyle change. It was hard work, but I feel lucky now.
What you described is called a partial joint replacement here, done for sports / trauma surgery patients here, mostly those below 40 years of age.
Not recommended for geriatric patients.
It is important that the team and facility be highly trained, and have proper equipment.
I wish you all the best, have a good recovery.
Not recommended for geriatric patients.
It is important that the team and facility be highly trained, and have proper equipment.
I wish you all the best, have a good recovery.
First of all, I'm not against resurface, it might be the future. It's just that there is not enough data. The replacement otoh is proven to last some 15 years, more is not unusual. Another thing is that what works for a champion is not necessarily ideal for us common people. There are many examples of professionals that do not hesitate to put their career on top of their health. I mentioned the old ladies as the worst possible scenario. The bone is alive tissue and it will adjust its mechanical properties to the load in the long term. It is the lack of exercise -load- that may result to a failure, not the other way around. Needless to say that no matter what method you will choose, post surgery rehabilitation is important. It consists of a gradual loading that will make the bone and the prosthesis feel like one piece and then it's up to you to keep it this way.
Many wish to had only osteoarthrits and tinnitus.
Many wish to had only osteoarthrits and tinnitus.
I think there's a fair amount of data on resurfacing, it's been around for more than two decades. I take your point about professional athletes, but there's nothing to suggest that it's a more risky procedure or that outcomes are worse than for a full prosthesis.
Ultimately it's hard to know the right course of action. Eventually I have to do what I hope will give me the best result based on the professional advice I have in front of me.
It seems to imply I should be happy with how things are and glad they are not worse. But change comes from unhappiness. I can be both unhappy with my state and grateful it's not worse...
Ultimately it's hard to know the right course of action. Eventually I have to do what I hope will give me the best result based on the professional advice I have in front of me.
True I'm sure. From a philosophical point of view though I always find it hard to know what to do with the information.
It seems to imply I should be happy with how things are and glad they are not worse. But change comes from unhappiness. I can be both unhappy with my state and grateful it's not worse...
Mainly because of concerns over bone density I believe. What's the point of resurfacing if the bone is poor and they're doing to fall and break their hip anyway...
Here, the limit is 60. But it's hard to find out what hard evidence there is for an arbitrary age cutoff rather than the results of a DEXA scan to determine bone density.
The assumption is (I think) that the full prosthesis is easier and that oldies just don't do much except sit and watch daytime TV, complain about 'young people' and how the world was so much better in their day.
By resurfacing you probably mean the McMinn technique. My surgeon tried that back in the day, and he was not convinced about the results. In the meantime, the technique is forbidden where I live because of high rate of problems.
With the conventional full replacement technique, todays implants allow replacing the wear parts (ball, inlay) without having to remove the parts that are fixed in the bone.
With the conventional full replacement technique, todays implants allow replacing the wear parts (ball, inlay) without having to remove the parts that are fixed in the bone.
The good thing with resurfacing is that allows for future options so, it seems a reasonable choice.
Always remember that the surgery is the 50% of the job. Physiotherapy will do the rest. A professional should help you with a specific rehabilitation protocol.
Then I suggest you should fix your hip as soon as possible and return to your usual activity. It helps to overcome problems easier I think.
Assumptions, the mother of all $£ck ups.
To quote Alexander Pope again: 'a little learning is a dangerous thing', or, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, said nowdays.
You're not the only one to have friends in other professions. Just because you may, does it make you as qualified as them to speak about their area's of expertise. It's best to keep your opinions to your self, unless you want to demonstrate your ignorance.
Nice. Is that how you treat defenceless animals? How majestic of you if you do.
Namaste
Bob Bryan, tennis player in the Bryan Brothers world number 1 for many seasons doubles team, was the inspiration for Andy Murray to have a hip resurface procedure.
Bob did return to play tour tennis doubles.
What Murray has done is nothing short of remarkable.
He's competing at the highest level in a sport that is extremely demanding on his joints.
His persistent competitive attitude means his matches are often long and demanding.
Many tennis players retire and then have standard hip replacements.
Of course each individual is different.
Best of luck with what you decide to do, and do let us know how it goes.
Bob did return to play tour tennis doubles.
What Murray has done is nothing short of remarkable.
He's competing at the highest level in a sport that is extremely demanding on his joints.
His persistent competitive attitude means his matches are often long and demanding.
Many tennis players retire and then have standard hip replacements.
Of course each individual is different.
Best of luck with what you decide to do, and do let us know how it goes.
Had the operation on Nov. 27th, epidural & unconscious for the op itself. About 48h in hospital. Recovery OK so far. Mobile, but with crutches obviously, likely to be that way for the next two or three weeks at least. The surgeon said that later on the crutches are to slow me down and make me think about what I'm doing. Had XRay on the day after op to confirm implants were in place and correctly aligned. They were
Pain is manageable with paracetamol. Rivaroxaban for a month to reduce clotting risk.
Incision in my hip is ~16cm more or less on a line from a little below the hip bone, centre of the thigh. Really inconveniently placed for wearing trousers and sitting in seats that curve up at the sides :|
Strict DO NOT instructions:
Long term? If things play out as they should do, compared to a full prosthesis I'll have a stronger hip, less likely to break or dislocate and with a wider range of motion and less likelihood of a significant change in leg length. Working lifetime no different to full implant.
The only potential cloud on the horizon is metalosis, allergy to the the wear particles from the metal on metal prosthesis. < 1%
Overall, really pleased with how its gone, I only have paranoia about doing something to completely bork it..
Pain is manageable with paracetamol. Rivaroxaban for a month to reduce clotting risk.
Incision in my hip is ~16cm more or less on a line from a little below the hip bone, centre of the thigh. Really inconveniently placed for wearing trousers and sitting in seats that curve up at the sides :|
Strict DO NOT instructions:
- Over extend your leg.
- Cross your legs either at the knee or ankle
- Rotate on your leg
- Bend knees, hip too deep.
Long term? If things play out as they should do, compared to a full prosthesis I'll have a stronger hip, less likely to break or dislocate and with a wider range of motion and less likelihood of a significant change in leg length. Working lifetime no different to full implant.
The only potential cloud on the horizon is metalosis, allergy to the the wear particles from the metal on metal prosthesis. < 1%
Overall, really pleased with how its gone, I only have paranoia about doing something to completely bork it..
Birmingham hip AKA 'resurfacing'. The implants look like this:
So the head of the femur, stem and part of the top of the femur remain in place and aren't just quickly sawn off as they are in a standard prosthesis. The access required is similar. From what I've read it's more intrusive because ball of the femur has to be shaped to accept the cup of the lower part of the implant and drilled to accept the 'pin'. It's why the femur has to be larger (it's not often done for women) and with good bone density for the operation to be considered. Benefits as described above.
OK! As said, I don't have any experience with this type but general instructions seem to be the same.
Practically, avoid turning on your leg and sitting too low. Get an elevated toilet seat as well.
This is the only thing that makes me wonder. Screws are never used, and even if glue is used, it's an organic cement that disintegrates at a rate similar to the regeneration of the new bone so that no gap is left during the procedure. But this will be successful only if the new bone is progressively loaded from day 1. The first month is critical. In other words, three months with crutches seems too long. Please ask your doctor for a detailed schedule about the percentage of your weight should your leg get week by week.
Hello Steve, our paths cross again and it seems we have more in common than DIY audio but, although not exactly the same, I have some experience of a hip operation of a similar magnitude that might be helpful, though I know you're already in the recovery stage.
Firstly though, about what we have in common - I'm 66, 182cm tall and weigh 75Kg. I typically cycle 150-200Km a week, walk about 10-15Km a week as deliberate exercise (and keep myself on my feet during day to day activity) and do other exercises, though weights aren't my thing. I have good blood pressure and resting heart rate of around 53-54. Always up for a bike ride when you're up to to it, and I Zwift, so a virtual meet-up could be on the cards?
Anyway, my experience was a serious accident just after Christmas 2009 when I fractured a hip and had it screwed back together - stuff happens! - the consultant considered a repair to be a better option than a replacement on the basis of my general health/fitness and not needing to replace the replacement some time in the future, possibly multiple times if the rest of me lasts long enough - the downsides were a much longer recovery period and a small risk of the bone dying if the fracture repair didn't work well enough. Anyway, it took a while in physio to get proper mobility back (prolonged time, around 5-6mths, on crutches obviously didn't help) but here I am 13yrs later fully active and with no pain - the only long-term affect I have is some fluid retention and blood staining in the lower leg (just the fixed one) which is due to debris from the operation lodging in the 'one-way blood-flow mechanisms' that help our heart to push blood back up from our lower extremities - apparently it is common and I guess you'll have been told about the possibility?
Regarding osteoporosis, we all suffer from it after our youth, around 30yrs and on, so our bone density is an assessment of where we are against the bell curve relevant to our age. Increasingly sedentary lifestyles aren't helping the pattern across the general population and people should be encouraged to do more load-bearing exercise.
Anyway, I hope the recovery goes well, take care.
Ray
My father broke his hip in a fall on the 16th of November, which was discovered in an X-Ray on the 23rd (holidays here, he has other health issues).
Surgery on the 25th, femoral head replaced with a prosthesis, that sits in a cup similar in design to Steven, a metal cup fits in pelvis, and a liner is inside that, the new femoral head, a ball, fits in the liner.
No cement was used, push fit cup, and spike fitted femoral head, as cement can have issues.
The discharge was on the 30th, he had a bowel reaction to the antibiotics.
He is home now, gradually increasing his strength, still too weak for physiotherapy.
When he is able to sit, I will start his physiotherapy sessions.
Surgery on the 25th, femoral head replaced with a prosthesis, that sits in a cup similar in design to Steven, a metal cup fits in pelvis, and a liner is inside that, the new femoral head, a ball, fits in the liner.
No cement was used, push fit cup, and spike fitted femoral head, as cement can have issues.
The discharge was on the 30th, he had a bowel reaction to the antibiotics.
He is home now, gradually increasing his strength, still too weak for physiotherapy.
When he is able to sit, I will start his physiotherapy sessions.