Smith & Nephew resurfacing complications

[Jeremy76761]

RockChic,

So difficult. What a Marathon of Pain you are enduring. I love to run, an was just beginning to compete at a high level, just getting my career off the ground, when I suffered a torn Achilles. A string of injuries culminating in left hip OA, and I haven't run since 2007. I ran only one race, a 10K in 36 minutes, under a professional trainer when I had to quit. By now I'd be well under 30 minutes had training continued. I've put this behind me pretty much, but just want you to know I know what it feels like to love something and have it behind you for years, in your case Riding for 7 years.

[cwg]

Hey there RC -Good rainy  morning over here. Man I feel sick reading it all put together, especially the kids stuff And not riding your horses. All of it.

I feel your anger and thats a whole lot better than depressed, so stay angry, and motivated.
And I totally understand the feeling like a guinea pig part
Stay mad and moving forward towards everything.
I hope you have a few great friends lending you support.
Will PM you later.

J Giving up my step and kick boxing and high impact classes etc kills me when I watch them at a gym. Running at your caliber and not being able to now must have been very hard to put behind. -- Man, who knew? In a million years I never thought Id be where I am

[Tin Soldier]

Dan - thanks.  Writing and thinking at the same time can be a deadly combo. 

Rock - I agree, keep cranking along and I hope you get some answers.

[JMS]

Hi Rock Chic
Sorry to hear about the situation you are facing. My resurfacing was revised to a THR in January of this year, approximately eighteen months after initial implant. My metal ions were very high and I experienced a number of the symptoms you describe. However, I did not have any pseudo tumors to deal with, so my surgery was more straight forward than yours is likely to be.   If you want to discuss anything about the metallosis symptoms or the revision surgery, feel free to send me a private message. 

[Anniee]

Hi RockChick, I am so sorry you're having to go through this!  I would be just as upset and scared as you are if it was me having these major issues.  I definitely understand about the riding - I haven't been able to ride for several years either, but am pretty sure I'll be able to after I heal from my latest surgery.  Hopefully, you will be able to again after your revision.   In the meantime, please feel free to vent as much as you want! 

[Jeremy76761]

cwg, thanks, appreciate it. And 3 "minor" quad tears from a chiropractor and physiotherapist still feel sore but (maybe) will heal properly. These Marathons of Pain really suck for us all! It's good to be understood without buttering it up or denying it.

It's human nature for folks to "problem solve" or "minimize" the suffering of others, not knowing what else to do. Truth is, just listening, really understanding, does more to help than many can imagine.

Love this site.

[Barbara]

Hi Rock chic,

I have failed Bilateral S&N BHR devices and know of a couple of others who also have problems.

I have just had a Left THR and am seeing my surgeon on Wed to schedule the Right THR after failures of my resurfacings.

I had the right side resurfaced in Oct 2008 and the L side in Dec 2008. I had continued, clunking, pain and dysfunction in the left side that I assumed was normal. I read many articles about how long soft tissue takes to heal and how clunking is normal until all those muscles strengthen. I had occasional pain and clunking in the Rt side but not as bad as in the left. O continued to limp and waddle and struggle at work. When I went for my annual check up in Oct 2009, I was told my left cup was loose. The right side had the minimal amount of bone regrowth needed to not be classed as loose.

I had the acetabular component replaced with a dysplasia cup with screws in Jan 2010. Once again, I continued to have pain and inflammation and dysfunction. I developed Nerve damage and after an episode of severe pain and being unable to weight bear, x-rays showed the start of halos around the screws, showing that the cup was loose. I had absolutely no ingrowth of bone and resigned myself to the fact that I would have to have a THR.

I now have a Titanium cup with Polyethylene lining and a ceramic femoral part done on August 23rd 2011. I am seeing my surgeon on Wed to plan doing the same on the Right side. I am hopeful that this will work. I feel like the fire in my hip has gone. I've had 4 surgeries, soon to be 5 in 3 years.

I have had brief contact with a lawyer who was very interested in representing me even though I don't have the recalled devices. However, at the moment I just want to get my problem fixed and get my life back so I might look into pursuing it later. I, like you am going through a range of emotions. Oh and by the way, my surgeon is very experienced and has not had a lot of failures, I just happen to be in that very small number :(

Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more

Barbara

[Luanna]

Barbara - so glad you shared your story with Rock Chic so she knows that she is not alone.

My surgeon is also Dr. Pritchett and I see him for my 8 week checkup Wednesday. I'm so sorry to hear that you have had to endure what you've experienced. He used a polyethelene cup on me and an SN metal ball. His preference would have been a ceramic ball as you will be getting but that meant doing a THR and I wanted to try the HR.

Are you using Dr. Pritchett for the revisions? Again, I'm so sorry. This is a great place to get support and good information.

Luanna

[rock_chic_fairy]

Hi Barbara, thank you for sharing your story. I actually was taalking to a friend today and her husband was saying he has a friend who has a hip that has been revized from a BHR and has been given a starting figure from the manufacturer. They were saying that very few had failed and that basically it was being dealt with quickly and quietly. I have asked them to find out what the manufacturer is of the joint. This is someone that had theirs at the same hospital as I did, ppossibly by same surgeoon, don't know yet. It is nice to know I am not alone as I was beginning to think I was the only S&N reject so to speak! Would love to chat in more detail. Will PM now xx
Luanna thank you, it never fails to bring a lump to the throat how many people pull together and support each other on this site.
Tomorrow I meet yet another orthopeadic consultant, a hand specialist, to look at what damage spending so many years on crutches has done to my right hand and wrist. My thumb is numb, I have a huge lump on the back of my wrist, a boone deformity at the base of my wrist and one on my lower thuimb joint! The joys! Carpal. Tunnel has been ruled out, however tests did show some deep nerve damage, let's see what this guy has to say!
Thank you everyone for your continued support xx

[Barbara]

Hi Luanna, yes I have used Dr Pritchett for my revisions. I work at Swedish and I know he's a good surgeon. I don't believe there was any user error, the angle of my cups were perfect, I just think Cobalt and my bone are not a good combination. I was in today for my check also, in the Kirkland office. You must live quite close to me. I'm in Redmond. I'm very happy to say that I have some ingrowth of bone in my new Titanium hip so the signs are looking good. I now have to decide when to have the other side done.

Rock chic, I agree it's good to know we are not alone! I'm sorry to hear about your hand problem, you poor thing. Are you using crutches now? I don't see your PM, I'll have to check again. I'm glad I came on to the site a couple of days ago. I used to post on here quite often but stopped as my news has not been positive in the past couple of years. I still check in occasionally to see how people are doing though.

[Barbara]

I got your PM's Luanna and Rock chic  :)

[hernanu]

Barbara, sorry to hear about your problems, but glad that the revision has given you respite on that side.

Thanks for posting your story, I think we benefit from seeing successful revisions despite the failure of the original HR; I know that's a real possibility. Despite the low incidence of it, it means a lot to the person to whom it happens and I think we all want to support you.

[Luanna]

Hi Barbara, Great to hear that your bone is working well with the Titanium. Good news indeed. We just missed each other at Dr. P's office this morning. We are only a few miles apart.

Hi Rock Chic - How are you doing today?

Luanna

[rock_chic_fairy]

Hiya I am ok thanks, saw the hand ortho, he says I have the first case of 'gamekeepers thumb' he has ever seen! Bought on by the years on crutches! It needs an op but he can't do it until hip is sorted and I am off them. ............ Roll on 8th November when I see the new ortrhoand discover his plans.....

How are you doing? How are you Barbara? Xx