Law Enforcement Career

[KevinLHitt]

Hello all...

My name is Kevin Hitt and i am 42 year old male. 5'9, 174 lbs, BMI of about 22.

I have arthritis in my right hip that needs to be remedied. At this point it is bone on bone and I take Norco and Naproxen, with injections to alleviate the pain.  As it stands, I can run and do very athletic things.

The problem is that I have applied to the sheriff department and I have a very good chance of making it.  The problem is that i am not allowed to take a narcotic while in the academy and my hip, as is, may DQ me medically.

I have been told I have very strong bones and that I am an IDEAL candidate for HR. 

This is a life changing decision.  Is there a doctor out there that feels I can thrive in a 19 week intensive police academy, post HR?  This is a dream of mine....

Please help.

[Dannywayoflife]

Hi Kevin. I'm sure post op with a resurfacing you would be fine to complete your sheriff training. However it will take 6months to a year to heal enough to do any running and high impact stuff. 

[Pat Walter]

Hi Kevin

There have been a number of hip resurfacing patients that returned to firefighting, police work and the military.  Many had to pass difficult physical test to join or return.  I know one local sheriff  in my area that returned to duty after hip resurfacing with Dr. Kusuma in Columbus OH. 

It will take you most likely at least 6 months, but more like 1 full year to be able to do diffiuclt high impact activities.  They body just plain takes that long to heal.  You will feel healed at 6 months or sooner, but the bone is still growing into the components and you want to make sure all muscles and ligaments are completely healed.

So the answer is you will most likely be able to go thru training, but you will want to wait.  You should only use on of the top experienced surgeons and discuss this with them so you can have a good guideline to use.

You are young and hip resurfacing will allow you to have the most natural gait and have no restrictions.

Pat

[KevinLHitt]

Just wanted to update you guys.  I actually called Dr. Robert Klapper on his radio show and he told me, live on the air, that he believes that I absolutely can go through a police academy with a resurfaced hip.

This is great news!

[Dannywayoflife]

There have been navy seals go back to active service after a bhr so its definitely possible. The key is a TOP surgeon and plenty of recouperation to allow your body to heal.

[hernanu]

Kevin, as Danny mentions, you want to go to an experienced, committed surgeon. Where do you live?

[KevinLHitt]

I live in the Los Angeles area.  Any and all help regarding the guy that will give me my life back would be appreciated.  I dont think my current doctor does what I need:

Dr. Kevin Park - Los Angeles Orthopedic

[Dannywayoflife]

Kevin take a look at Pats surgeon list I'm sure there will be one within a commutable distance of you mate.

Danny

[KevinLHitt]

Update:

My surgeon has decided he does not want to do hip resurfacings any longer.  He says he doesnt like the numbers coming back as to the problems popping up with the HR.

Here is the good news.  I have been offered a list of surgeons that I can choose from to do this procedure.  Once I get this list, I can choose and then move forward.

[hernanu]

That's good Kevin - when you get your list, check it against the doctors on Pat's list. Are you limited to those doctors?

[Dannywayoflife]

Sounds to me that he's not the man to go to. I'm sure with the help of members on here you will find a good surgeon who can sort you out and get you back on track

[Marco Polo]

Kevin:  This is a technically demanding procedure that requires a skilled surgeon with lots of experience with resurfacing.  I traveled 3 hours from Michigan to have my surgery done by an experienced surgeon with an excellent track record in Chicago. (Others have traveled much farther.) I would check into Dr. Ball in San Diego. 

[KevinLHitt]

When I am in possession of the list, I will post it.

I am looking forward to being pain free and grabbing the career I want, Law Enforcement.

[KevinLHitt]

Hello everyone.  I just wanted to let you know that I have selected a surgeon for my Hip Resurfacing Surgery.

I have chosen Dr. Joseph Jankiewicz from the Sharp/Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center.  My backup surgeon if this falls through will be Dr. Ferro from Arroyo Grande.

I chose Dr. J as they call him because he has a track record with getting law enforcement and firefighters back to work.  I am hoping that after the surgery, he will simply tell me to go get what I want.  I only need this hip to work for 10-15 years.

If any of you have any information that you would like to share, please do so.  I cant thank Pat enough for helping me out during this time.

One thing of note....  It appears that quite a few doctors have stopped doing BHRs.  In my opinion, they have stopped because of the time it requires to learn how to do it RIGHT.  I think they figure they make money doing what is comfortable to them which is THR.

[hernanu]

I agree Kevin. It is something that requires more training and possibly skill. It's why you want a surgeon that is not only skilled but has done a good number and is doing them fairly often.

It's good your surgeon deals with and knows law enforcement and fire fighters. How many HRs have both surgeons done?

Good luck and it's great you've taken this step to get your life back.

[Pat Walter]

Kevin

You are correct about many surgeons not wanting or not able to do hip resurfacing surgery. There is also the liability issue when they are not very experienced.  THRs are much easier and can just be thrown in easily - however, a THR should be placed very carefully, too.  So if a person is to receive a THR, they want a really experienced surgeon that places the cup and femur component carefully and properly.

Good Luck with your surgery.  We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.  Keep us updated when you can.

[KevinLHitt]

One thing I wanted to say...

Both of these surgeons only use the cemented cups to do the surgery.

Is there a major difference between cemented and cementless?

[Pat Walter]

Kevin

All acetabular cups are  not cemented, they are basically press fitted or pounded into the properly sized hemisphere that was very close the your original sized femur bone ball.  Most hip resurfacings with the BHR all are cemented in the femur cap.  A few hip resurfacing devices like the biomet and wright conserve plus have versions that are not cemented.  Very few surgeons are doing cementless hip resurfacing, but include Dr. Gross, a few by Dr. De Smet and a few other overseas surgeons.  I think Dr. Su has done a couple.

The Australian National Registry hows excellent results for the cemented BHR for the last 11 years. 
http://www.surfacehippy.info/2012-aoanjr-hip-resurfacing-information.php

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

You can feel very good about an experienced surgeon that uses the cemented BHR since it has the best retention record of all hip resurfacing devices.  Dr. Gross has been doing uncemented Biomet for over 2000 cases.  You can read his results and information here a little down his interview page

http://www.surfacehippy.info/doctorinterviews/grossinterview.php

I don't know any surgeons on the West Coast doing a lot of uncemented hip resurfacing.  I have a BHR which is 7 years old and don't worry that it was cemented due to the BHR's great retention record.

Pat

[Anna]

Hi Kevin!

I think everyone has given you all the information you need! A good surgeon is the way forward.

From what I gather, you are planning on having your surgery before joining the force? How long will you have to recover? I see no problems in joining and making it through the training as long as you give yourself enough time to recover properly and get back up to top fitness. HR seems to give people so much freedom and will be as close as you can get to having your normal hip back to the way it should be.

Im a police officer in the UK and I am looking at getting a THR soon (Im just not a candidate for HR but would be jumping at the chance if I could!) As long as the operation goes as planned, I will be staying in the force and I think I will be absolutely fine (Although I think your training across the pond will be a little more rigorous than ours!) I say if its your dream, then go get it ... what have you got to lose?!!!  ;)

Good luck and keep us updated

Anna