Help about tape on the incision!

[badbone]

Like all of you before me, I am very fortunate to have found this website, as I seek out the necessary information to make the BEST informed decision regarding BHR.

I am a 50 yo male who is in excellent physical shape.  Lean muscle mass, 230lbs at 6'4.
Well, in great shape EXCEPT my hip!

In reading many of the posts here, some hot topics are:

Anterior Approach
Posterior Approach
Cup Angle

I know that in a THR, anterior is the way to go based on visibility and recovery.

When the BHR was first introduced, POSTERIOR APP was the only method available.
Now it seems that some surgeons are converting over to an ANTERIOR app.

Here are my questions:

1) What does an Anterior approach provide to the surgeon, that a POSTERIOR app does not?


2) What approach allows the surgeon to attain the BEST possible cup angle?

3) Recovery with a THR seems to be better with an ANTERIOR app.  I know its apples to oranges when comparing at THR with BHR.

Just seeking answers as I will be scheduling my BHR in the next 2-3 months.
Your help is greatly appreciated.

Is there a list of surgeons broken down by their approach?

Thanks!

[bluedevilsadvocate]

Here is a page on the Surface Hippy website, regarding which approach is best. It may be helpful to you.

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

[badbone]

Thank you very much !!!

[OtterDriver]

Thanks for your response!  I've already asked Susan and she didn't have any ideas "off the top", but said she could look into it.  I said thanks, but didn't want to put any additional tasks on her probably full plate!?  I'll look into it via the new joint seminar folks.

My consultation is the day of your surgery.  Maybe we'll cross paths!?  I could smuggle a beer in for you! 

=B' )

[Dannywayoflife]

I personally wouldn't worry yourself too much about this. Go see a top surgeon and let them do what they do best. The posterior approach seems to give the best exposure at the expense of a little more cutting. You want the surgeon doing what they are comfortable with really and by going to the best guy you can you hugely increase your chances of a great out come.

[MPH]

I'm with Danny on this. My father in law had a THR anterior approach and has struggled with his recovery. I had a posterior approach BHR and I'm having a recovery that is absolutely pain free and I'm having to hold back due to risks of fracture etc. 
It all comes down to the combination of surgical skill and how well the patient recovers. I didn't care what approach was taken , it's the end result that matters.
Find the best surgeon you can and go with him/her.  Good luck.

[evant]

I live in Wales, UK, where you get the surgeon you are given at your nearest large National Health Service (NHS) hospital ie no choice.

The orthopaedic surgeon allocated to me regarding my hip had previously carried out unsuccessful arthroscopic surgery. Hence I didn't trust him to resurface my hip (using a non BHR device to make matters worse).

So I considered moving to England temporarily where choice of surgeon exists using the NHS.

I also researched the cost of paying privately for the operation.

I quickly learnt that Mr McMinn and Mr Treacy invented the BHR and so were the experts. Of course I would have been completely happy to have either operate on me.  I believe their costs were similar @£15,000 (check online for up to date costs). Dr Bose trained with them and his costs came in below half that cost.

It was not easy but I managed to obtain choice of surgeon on the NHS by moving to England temporarily. Via Surfacehippy, dannywayoflife and MikeD pointed me in the direction of Mr Treacy who makes you feel that your life is safe in his hands.

Good luck with your decision regarding choice of surgeon.

[livendive]

Ha ha, beer sounds great...it couldn't possibly make me pee any more often than just the surgery did the first time. lol

I'm guessing Dr Pritchett has a couple surgeries before mine that day, as I'm not checking in till 8:45 with surgery at 10:45.  With the hospital being 2 blocks from his office, you'll probably be seeing him shortly after he gets done playing with my insides. :-D

[Snowbound]

I'm 2 weeks post bilateral resurfacing and recovery is going very well. I had both sides done, anterior approach, so my only sleeping position is on my back. I hate sleeping on my back, but I'm getting used to it now. I generally wake up about every 3.

When I wake up my thighs are extremely sore but once I get up and start walking around it improves greatly. Is this normal?

[Dannywayoflife]

Well I am now officially a bilat.

The operation was not routein however. It took Mr Treacy 45 mins and there were some complications. I bled an aweful lot in theatre and think there was a lot of Spurs and osteophyte as well as my dysplasic socket.

I had to be kept in recovery for about 3 hours as there was no bed space on the wards. When I was taken to the ward my condition RAPIDLY declined and I ended up going into cardiac arrest. The crash team had to be scrambled and they had to restart me. Feel better now but not great.

[Pat Walter]

I am so sorry to hear you had to go thru that.  Pretty darn scary!  Good to hear you are now on the mend - or at least able to start thinking about it.

Good Luck.  I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. 

Pat

[Dannywayoflife]

Thank you pat! I feel sorry for the guys in my room. They were really upset by it. I've got to say the professionalism of the doctors and nurses was outstanding. I really feel privileged to have them looking after me. 

[oldsoccerplayer]

That sounds scary! I guess it can happen to anyone after any surgery if the conditions are there. Hope things will improve from here on out.

[bluedevilsadvocate]

I, too, had to sleep on my back for about 3 weeks after I had my left BHR back in 2010, and I had aching in my thigh on the operated side whenever I woke up.  You may find that placing a pillow or pillows under the lower part or your legs to raise them two or three inches helps.

[Daytona Dave]

Good luck. Hope that's the only hiccup in your recovery!

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks buddy. Still havig a few other issues. Waiting on catheter being put in looks like I've blown a vein when fitting and my leg is ballooning with swelling.

[livendive]

Wow, that's spooky!  I'm glad they were able to get you ticking again and hope your recovery goes great from here out (and that such an occurrence doesn't happen to me when I become a bilat in a couple weeks! ha ha)

Here's to a quick and complete recovery!

[Dannywayoflife]

Thank you mate. I don't think it can get much worse now. Upwards from here! Got to say the staff have been incredible!

[toby]

Danny,
Sorry to hear of the post op complication but you're a tough young UK hippy and when called upon our NHS delivers-so good news.
Yeah, hope all goes well here buddy.
Take your time.
Toby

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks Toby got to say I'm a little shook up by it all.

Touch wood the worst is over