Osteopenia

[lindarose]

After reading this website for a week now, I was just deciding whether or not to go to India for my bilaterial hip resurfacing.  Sending emails here & there, I was told my a specialist in Dallas, TX that "a patient w/osteopenia is NOT a good candidate for hip resurfacing as the probability would be, the head of the femur would break"....now what?  A THR?  I was not planning on a THR but now I'm back to researching till my eyes are crossed?  Anyone have any info on this?

[obxpelican]

Linda,


Don't give up and give in to a THR, yet.  Did you get a bone density test and x-ray yet?  That is what a doctor who does hip resurfacing needs.  If you get that info to Dr. Gross he'll give you a phone evaluation, or you could try Bose or DeSmet.

IF, and I repeat IF you have to get a THR get a large MOM THR, they are not that bad, you really do not lose much, you do lose the posiblity of an easier revision in the future.

Don't get depressed, now is the time to be the best patient advocate for yourself that you can be.


Chuck

After reading this website for a week now, I was just deciding whether or not to go to India for my bilaterial hip resurfacing.  Sending emails here & there, I was told my a specialist in Dallas, TX that "a patient w/osteopenia is NOT a good candidate for hip resurfacing as the probability would be, the head of the femur would break"....now what?  A THR?  I was not planning on a THR but now I'm back to researching till my eyes are crossed?  Anyone have any info on this?

[kb134]

Hi Linda,
I had to google "Osteopenia." Yes, there are some steps ahead to be taken, and choices to be made. Do not become overwhelmed. What can you do to be proactive to keep you on the side of standing and fighting? Pat has a list of Doctors on this site - and Chuck gave you a great start - those Doctors are very good. So if that means emailing or calling everyone ... get the answers you want, it is your right.
I came across a link
http://www.ctds.info/osteopenia.html
I do not know if it helps ...
Best.

[Pat Walter]

Hi

You can email Dr. Bose in India and he will give you a free email consultation.  He will be very honest about whether you are a candidate or not.  The top experinced surgeons will not perform a hip resurfacing that they don't think will work well.  They don't want to do the patient any harm and don't want a bad record either.

You can also email Dr. De Smet of Belgium for a free evaluation.  Also Dr. Gross of SC.  That way you can get good input on which to make a decision as to whether you are a candidate for resurfacing. 

Many of the less expeirnced hip resurfacing surgeons will not do diffiuclt cases, so you will most likely need to work with the top surgeons.

You can get their email addresses from my doctors list  http://www.surfacehippy.info/listofdoctors.php

Pat

[Josephine18]

Hi Linda,

I just wanted to encourage you along the same path that the others have suggested here.  I too have osteopenia in  my hips as diagnosed through a DEXA scan, and I sought out Dr. Gross for a consultation.  You know what?  My t-scores did not phase Dr. Gross one bit.  There was no hesitation in his determination that I was a candidate (he even called me a “good” candidate) for hip resurfacing.  We had a long discussion regarding bone health and what I would need to do before and after surgery involving weight bearing status and calcium intake to give my bones the best chance to heal and avoid fracture of my femoral neck. I did have to enter his slow recovery protocol which means only 10% weight bearing using crutches for six weeks followed by four weeks on a cane.  I was supposed to have a bilateral procedure done, and Dr. Gross was even willing to go ahead with that, although his preference would be to wait at least six weeks between operations due only to the bone density issue.  An unrelated circumstance prevented me from doing the bilateral back to back, and as it turns out, it was probably for the best anyhow.  I am now over three months post-op from my surgery, and I am doing well.  The recovery process has been more prolonged due to the limitations imposed by Dr. Gross, but this is what I signed on for.  I knew this going in, and I still will have to be careful particularly for the next three months.  Dr. Gross says that at six months, the risk for femoral fracture for those with osteopenia becomes the same as everyone else.  He has a great article on his website regarding bone health in which you may be interested.  I do not live near Dr.  Gross, so I had to travel  a distance to have the surgery, but it was well worth all the additional time and expense.  Don’t give up on a hip resurfacing!

[bigblue]

I had a HR with Dr. Gross last August. He told me that my bone density was not good but I was still a candidate for the HR. I followed the slow program and had my year checkup in August of this year. Dr. Gross said my hip had healed well and I have no problems. I had some low levels of calcium and vitamin d and he has put me on supplements as well as my wife giving me injections to combat having future problems. Check with the respected doctors and they will give you ann honest answer.