British press and Sky News reporting big problems

[Dannywayoflife]

There were several deign faults with the asr which created the problems. From what I've read they include too small a clearance between the components I believe it had a clearance of 65 microns. When the optimal clearance to create thick film fluid lubrication is 167. The bhr is 165. Also the cup was less than a half hemispurrs they thought that this would mean it would give greater ROM but it just made implantation at the right angle harder for the surgeon.
I also believe the alloy used for the device was different. Don't forget the bhr is made from an alloy that has been used in orthopaedics for 70years and has been used as a MOM bearing surface since the 60's. Mcminn didn't just pick any old alloy when he designed the bhr.
Do we see any of that info being put into press? It's plain scare mongering. And I for one thing it's immoral

[Pat Walter]

Kiwi

Please don't take offense to me removing the link to the newspaper story. My site is highly rated by Google and I also don't need to help these mis-informed websites and newspapers increase their ratings by outgoing links from my site. 

I receive an email for every post made on this discussion group.  I normally read them all fairly quickly to keep an eye on things.  This negative hip resurfacing campaign is getting out of hands in the media and I don't want to fuel any more arguments or problems for people on this group.  I value each and every person and never want to hurt their feelings, but I am trying to keep this site as positive good information about hip resurfacing.  I look at each post with the "EYES OF THE BRAND NEW VISITOR" trying to learn about hip resurfacing.  I try to keep all the problems posted where everyone can see them, but not be the first thing to hit them when they first tune in!

So I look at things a little differently trying to see the overall view of the site.  I know everyone posting is thinking about their stories and opinions which I think they should. Those with problems should be able to talk and ask for help. They should be able to complain, but within their stories and places for problems.

Please don't take offense if I need to change something you wrote.  I try hard not to do that, but sometimes I see things differently.  If I did not have that view - this site would have been gone a long time ago.  I want it to grow and be useful to everyone.  I want it to present correct information whenever possible.

Thanks.

Pat

[Kiwi]

Danny - Agreed. The media so often get it wrong. A bit more investigation they could put the Resurfacing operation into context. Where are all the BHR success stories & stats? Oh... of course... that won't sell newspapers!
My surgeon was asked if he wanted to install the asr, but he simply asked where's your 10 year data? Until you have successful 10 year data - don't bother asking me again. He does bhr only.

Chris - Please keep us posted on your progress. I have read many of your posts prior to this & hope you continue to post.

Pat - No worries. I understand.

[horse doc]

Good.  Who are the presenters?  Is anybody going to attend?  are the proceedings available to anybody here?  anyone staking out the bar at the conference hotel?  just kidding on that last one

The upcoming meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons has many seminars and presentations scheduled. Here are four that pertain this post on problems with metal on metal arthoplasty and resurfacing.

"The Painful Metal on Metal Hip Arthoplasty - Evaluation and Management"

"Hip Replacement or Hip Resurfacing: What's Best for My Young Patients"

" Alternative Bearing Surfaces: The Good, The Bad and The Indifferent"

" High Performance Hip Replacement. What is it? Who is the Right Candidate?"

The surgical community is aware that outcomes are not as good as they should be. They are examining this from many different angles to finds solutions for improvement. I don't see any hysteria on the agenda. Newspapers are creating some hype, but the professionals are working on scientific solutions. Stay tuned. The AAOS meeting takes place the second week of February in San Francisco. Your surgeon will be aware of the findings reached there. Ask about it. My first question to Dr. Rector at my March 13 follow up appointment will be "Did you learn anything new at the AAOS that will change how your approach hip resurfacing?"

Boomer

[horse doc]

Kiwi

Please don't take offense to me removing the link to the newspaper story. My site is highly rated by Google and I also don't need to help these mis-informed websites and newspapers increase their ratings by outgoing links from my site. 

I receive an email for every post made on this discussion group.  I normally read them all fairly quickly to keep an eye on things.  This negative hip resurfacing campaign is getting out of hands in the media and I don't want to fuel any more arguments or problems for people on this group.  I value each and every person and never want to hurt their feelings, but I am trying to keep this site as positive good information about hip resurfacing.  I look at each post with the "EYES OF THE BRAND NEW VISITOR" trying to learn about hip resurfacing.  I try to keep all the problems posted where everyone can see them, but not be the first thing to hit them when they first tune in!

So I look at things a little differently trying to see the overall view of the site.  I know everyone posting is thinking about their stories and opinions which I think they should. Those with problems should be able to talk and ask for help. They should be able to complain, but within their stories and places for problems.

Please don't take offense if I need to change something you wrote.  I try hard not to do that, but sometimes I see things differently.  If I did not have that view - this site would have been gone a long time ago.  I want it to grow and be useful to everyone.  I want it to present correct information whenever possible.

Thanks.

Pat

Pat, i think it's good to run a tight ship.  I wonder if there are more people doing research and finding this site because of the negative press.  "no such thing as bad publicity"

You and many others here are well prepared to refute negative information so i suggest a sticky {or category] titled HR Misinformation.  First time visitors would likely find it useful along with another sticky about the joint registry data. 

[Pat Walter]

horse doc

Great idea.  Thank You for the idea.  I will work on it tomorrow.  It takes a lot of time getting all this "stuff" sorted and printed.

I did a new page for the website tonight 

http://www.surfacehippy.info/hr-survivorship-rates-2011.php

I just need to expand on it.  I have a lot of articles about hip resurfacing and why it is a good solution all thru the main website, but some people just end up here and don't read there much.

Here is the first time visitor guide

http://www.surfacehippy.info/visitorguide.php

Boomer
I would love to go to AAOS.  Many doctors ask if I am going.  The reason I can't is that the ticket for a non-doctor is $850 and that doesn't include the podium presentations.  Most of these meeting and courses don't allow the public or patients.  I am normally invited because of my website.  The hotel rooms at the courses and AAOS are all over $200 a night and that is a special rate.  Add travel costs of flying across the country, I find I just can't go to most of them.  I usually just do the Hip Resurfacing course in Baltimore or when it is in LA.  I have done a few other special meetings, but not many.  Way too rich for my blood!

Thanks again.

Pat

[Boomer]

Pat,

The AAOS is one of the toughest shows to get into and one of the most expensive. I'm in the business so I get to attend most of the big shows like the AAOS, AAD, ACOG etc. I won't be at the AAOS this year, but I should be able to get feedback on the important topics. I'll post what I find out.

Pat, if you had let us know, I'm sure the good folks posting on your site would have raised the money needed for you to attend. Who better to represent us Hippys than you? I hope you will go next year. I'll contribute to your travel fund! I'm sorry I didn't think of it sooner and lead the charge. Shame on me!

Boomer

[bilateralbliss]

Agree strongly with Danny- Mr McMinn invented with passion and dedication, he actually loves his work including
being 100% precise.
He actually enjoys performing 8 operations in one day. Known as work satisfaction, plus took his team
to  to help 19  people in Vietnam which also shows his compassion. This speaks for itself.

[stavros]

I decided on going ahead with my right hip resurfacing last October because my surgeon assured me that the BHR was the best and had low revision rates. This was what I believed to be the case at the time even with the negative press on MOM. I am having some problems with HO but that is a different story. I think this forum is and has been very informative, I stumbled on it when I was looking for information on the BHR last year before my operation. I don't think I would have gone ahead with it if I believed everything I read or saw on TV !

[Tin Soldier]

On attending the AAOS, Do you think maybe S&N, Wright, Corin, or others would provide Pat travel and/or a portion of perdium and lodging to attend?  It almost seems like we're sitting ducks here getting shot down by Barry (Ny Times), idiot attorneys, and the latest from the British Journalists.  The bad press is probably costing the HR manufacturers money.  Why do we let them do that?  Why do the manufacturers let them do that?

Vicky fought back on some bad press last spring, if I recall.  I think Pat's sent a few emails back to the journalists as well as constantly trying to fight off the negative info about MoM here.  It seems odd that there is not a financial incentive to squash the BS that we keep hearing about.  I think it's getting worse. 

Chris - sorry to hear about your problems.  It's got to be pretty frustrating

stavros - Same here. This site gave me so much info and support and confidence that HR was right for me. 

[Dannywayoflife]

I think at some point in the near future s&n are going to launch a aggressive counter attack. I know they have some rather eye brow raising information under there hat that will blow the antis out of the water.

[Kiwi]

Something needs to happen. Is there a journalist out there of a reputable status that can publish the real facts? People on here are always going to want to be informed and it's the members here that need to be informed as they support the newbies or folk looking into resurfacing as an option. 

Horse Doc - Having an avenue to correct the 'inaccurate' information published is a great idea. I'd much rather send a link to this site correcting negative misinformation about resurfacing than post links to family, friends etc of the actual article.

Family, friends, hippies & hippies to be, all read the papers. As you say - it's more 'positive' marketing for surface hippy if you can direct them here for the stone cold facts.

[bilateralbliss]

Pat, trust this helps! This site should be treated with respect, positivity is my belief

News Story Archive
1st February 2012
Metal-on-Metal Implants - Addressing the Negative Press
We have been receiving phone calls following recent press reports on failed metal-on-metal hip implants. We understand these sensationalist stories may cause anxiety among some patients. However, we would like to reassure our patients that these reports mostly concern failures with the DePuy ASR and the DePuy ASR XL, not the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR).

Many press reports imply these failures relate to all metal-on-metal hip resurfacings. A patient featured in a recent Daily Mail article, like many others, had a failed ASR. A critical point, omitted from the print version of the Daily Mail, can be found in the full online version. As well as her ASR, the patient had a BHR on her other hip. She comments, “I've never had a minute’s trouble from the Birmingham hip â€" if only I’d had it on both sides.”

High failure rates with the ASR and ASR XL have been widely documented. Both devices have now been withdrawn from the market. Research indicates the side effects, such as muscle damage, are specific to the ASR and do not apply to the BHR which is a very different device.

Earlier this week, the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) issued another statement about metal-on-metal hips, in which they say, "On the evidence currently available the majority of patients implanted with metal-on-metal hip replacements are at low risk of developing any serious problems.”

In addition to the MHRA’s guidance, we wish to emphasise that Mr McMinn’s results with the BHR show a 97% survival in men and women of all ages at 14.5 years. Furthermore, excellent results with the BHR have been documented in National Joint Registers from around the world.

Sadly, these ASR failures come as no surprise. Mr McMinn has been warning about the device since it went to market in 2003. You can see Mr McMinn’s argument against the ASR here. Furthermore, The McMinn Centre has put together several resources which address patients’ concerns and the differences between the ASR and BHR designs. These resources are as follows:

• The McMinn Research Team’s detailed response to list of questions on metal-metal implants & metal ions provided by hip resurfacing users here
• The McMinn Centre’s response to a Channel 4 documentary on metal-metal hip replacements here
• An interview with a patient who has now had his McMinn metal-metal hip resurfacing for 20 years here

[bilateralbliss]

It appears I`ve posted almost the same as Pat, without reading all comments first. However I agree with her totally!! Mr McMinn is the expert

[Dannywayoflife]

Yep derricks the man! I reckon he's torpedo more about resurfacing and MOM implants than dupuy will ever know!