Cold Therapy Devices

[KevinHalicki]

thanks Angy, when did you have your surgery with Dr. De Smet and how are you doing today? I have also considered him as a surgeon but thought Dr. Mcminn would be the best choice.
Kevin

[Granton]

Hi Kevin,

Sounds like a great choice to me.

Are you aware that there is information for patients coming from overseas on Mr McMinn's website? http://www.mcminncentre.co.uk/overseas-patients.html

[Jon]

McMinn did my hip in 2011.  Met with many orthopedists before I pulled the trigger.  Traveled from Boston.  In retrospect, only way I would ever do the surgery.  Outcome well beyond expectation. PM me if you have any questions.

[Jon]

...and the travel was no issue at all...

[Torontogirl]

Hi Kevin,
Had surgery in July(3) 2012 and have had no issues, but did do private physio 1 month after returning home. Dr De Smet is excellent and extremely experienced, and it was slightly cheaper to do surgery with him than in Birmingham. I took a direct flight from Toronto to Brussels  and then the train (goes straight from airport to Ghent)-for the return  we took a cab as train station in Ghent had lots of stairs! Also I liked that he had a set up where you would receive daily physiotherapy and nurse visits in the hotel before travel back home. Hospital care was also excellent-though food not :-[. There was another Canadian from Vancouver having the same bi-lateral surgery the same day too!! Dr De Smet uses the Conserve plus, but I think he has a device for men now that is coated metal, not available for women-but definitely of interest. I think your decision will be based on what is more convenient for getting there and back and stay as both surgeons are top notch!

Angy

[seahip]

I am at about 2.5 weeks post op and have prescription for pt from my surgeon. However I know I'm not going in now. Have a lot of knee pain and limited range of motion on the knee with tightness at the hip. If I walk more than a small amount I get really sore. I've scheduled my first appointment at 4 weeks ( 1.5 weeks from now ).

Is this too aggressive? I'm wondering if I should push it out to the 6 week mark. I know people's experiences and starting times vary from reading on the forums.

Any advice appreciated.

[Beth]

Metal ion testing so far:
Cobalt, Serum   4.8   <=1.0 ug/L   HIGH

I discontinue oral B12 a week prior to this test.
Chromium testing results not yet available. Hoping they are back today.

Not sure what to think but I am very, very concerned.

[petemeads]

Hi Matt, it seems to come down to a NICE recommendation in Feb 2014 that resurface/replacement prostheses should meet a 5% revision rate at 10 years - and in the data they publish all the replacement hardware meets this requirement but none of the resurfacing kit does. They say that even men, who are more suitable, still have a 12% revision rate at 10 years. This conflicts greatly with McMinn's stated results and all the US expert surgeons and obviously includes a lot of suboptimal operations. Even so the NHS will still perform resurfacing for suitable candidates so why an insurance company should refuse to allow the best treatment in favour of the potentially cheaper is disgraceful (the ops cost the same, near enough, but you might need more of them if you go for resurfacing). I am just glad that I am with BUPA and they were quite happy to accept my surgeon's opinion regarding the best option for me, despite not being young any more...

[toby]

Hi Beth, your Cobalt result is within normal boundaries, particularly as you are within the 'running in' period-measures usually go down from the second year onward . Concerns are raised when readings are above 7ppb. Please let us know your chromium result once you've received it.
Best
Toby

[Dannywayoflife]

Thanks for posting that toby those were the figures I had in my head but couldn't rightly remember with any real confidence.

Beth there are many dietary things that can largely affect these results also

Danny

[hernanu]

Mine was a bit different, both times I followed the same procedure, which had me doing home physical therapy starting at one week.

Outpatient physical therapy was at four weeks, by which time I could drive and do the basic (simple) initial exercises.

Any kind of movement was challenging, especially for me any side lifts of the leg, which seemed impossible. I worked those out with the home PT, but no reason why it can't happen well with an outpatient person.

Can you have at home PT for the next couple of weeks? Mine was with someone with a lot of experience with THR, I was their first HR (and boy were they excited).

Hope that helps, PT was a very good thing for me.

[hernanu]

Metal ion testing so far:
Cobalt, Serum   4.8   <=1.0 ug/L   HIGH

I discontinue oral B12 a week prior to this test.
Chromium testing results not yet available. Hoping they are back today.

Not sure what to think but I am very, very concerned.

I believe that's in the normal range. I was told anything under 7 was acceptable for either. My 2 years were in the 3-4 range, in the 4 year they were under 2.

Hope the tendinitis lets up, I had it in both achilles heels (moving a business), not a fun thing at all.

[23109VC]

I'm also a Dr. Gross patient.  I know they used oxyconton in pre-op to get me relaxed.  then they gave me versed before they wheeled me off to the OR.

I remember telling the anesthesiologist that I was not looking forward to getting the needle in my back and he assured me I wouldn't remember any of it.. he was right.

theonly thing I remember is them telling me to lean forward... I presume so the doctor could get at my back to give me the shot..but i have ZERO memory of receiving the shot, no memory of any pain..nothing.

I remember someone saying "sit up" and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room.

the entire process was FAR less painful or scary that I had thought it woudl be.  when I need my second hip done - I will have NO worries. 

the stuf they give you in the pre-op area gets you relzed and woozy.  by the tiem you are off to the OR to get hte shot in your back - you are pretty much on your way to lala land...

good luck with the surgery!

[23109VC]

I am now 4 years post op.

In January, just before my 4 year anniversary I went to Mammoth with family/friends and tried out snowboarding!  I had done it a couple of times when I was a teenager... I hadn't been out on the snow since...so fast forward abotu 25 years...and a new hip... (I'm 41 now) and I went for it.

I went with my 13 year old son...just a 1/2 day...and it was so much fun.  I have to say, my operated hip held up great, I literally had NO pain in that hip.  My "normal" hip was sore afterward...  I hate to admit it, but I'll probably be back to see Dr. Gross eventually to get that one done...i din't think I"m ready yet... it's ok most of the time..but it's starting to act up now and then when I do certain things...

Overall though - I pretty much can do whatever I want.  My operated hip is doing great. I have no pain.  I am literally pain free day to day.  Not a day goes by that I don't, at least once, appreciate my pain free hip.  I lived iwth pain for WAY too long.... and it it so nice to have it gone.

I made a short movie to show you and hopefully it will make it's way back to Dr. Gross.  I"m sure he enjoys seing his patients enjoy an active life.  There is NO WAY I could have gone snowboarding before my surgery.... now after ward... It was not a problem and it was so much fun.  It was especially fun because I was able to do it with my son... we had a great time.

Thank you Dr. Gross!

for those of you living in pain thinking about getting your hip fixed - don't wait too long like I did.  Get it looked at, and if you are a candidate for a hip resurfacing, get it fixed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVJyNf41ZcA

if you can read my lips at the very end of myh video where I give a thumbs up.. I think I said "i'm bionic"...  :)  sometimes I feel like I am... compared to the old me!

[Pat Walter]

Today, March 15, is the 9 year anniversary of my BHR which I received in Belgium in 2006 from Dr. De Smet.  It is doing well - no problems with it ever.  Hopefully, it will stay that way. 

I am still a true believer in hip resurfacing for the right candidate done by a very experienced surgeon.  The National Registries, surgeons own series and hundreds and hundreds of personal stories show how successful hip resurfacing can be.

My story is here:  http://www.surfacehippy.info/belgium&mybhrebook.php  It is getting to be an antique at this point!

Pat

[Dannywayoflife]

Wow pat 9 years congrats!! Hope you share many many more with your bhr! ;)

[Mike D]

Well done ,Pat.
You and the website are a huge inspiration - your belief in resurfacing has led to so many of us getting the surgery we want.
Glad to hear your BHR is as good as the day you got it!

[shoraztri]

Hi pat,
Big Congrats on your special "other "birthday. Your efforts , advice and knowledge are truly inspirational , and Im sure heaps of us have now got "new lives" , so to speak.  ;D.
Well Done !!! :D 8).
For me personally , the Website has given me so much , and its like Ive got a new body, new challenges and a better , more active life.  :D.

Cheers,
Kiwi Boy.

[karlos.bell]

Thanks Soccer.
I have decided to get my hips resurfaced NZ to Belgium trip end of April. After a very long time of deciding: re-hab which has not worked out that well with FAI surgery. The sockets took an injury in 2007 due that I had FAI and very deep hip sockets so they are not worn out but worn on the outer rim mostly. The decision I do not tread lightly and it is a huge decision as I have to travel from Home to abroad by myself as well. Any help on travel info that someone has to offer will be most helpful.
Not really sure what else to say. It is bilateral as well. Hopefully it will work out well and I can walk normal in life again as that is the most thing I miss. Other than that be nice to get back to the  bike, hunt, tramp, work, ski both snow and water, and mostly be normal.
Any advise would be helpful as I have really got sick of pushing my floppy hips along with exercise after 7 - 8 years of keeping at it. Not really to happy about it but there is not much I can really do about it any more. Thanks all. Cheers

[seahip]

Thanks hernanu!

I have not been devoid of exercise. There was a set provided by the surgeon which I've been doing.  From what you say however, it seems 4 weeks isn't too early to start PT with a therapist.  I don't seem to have the option of in home, but should be able to start driving this week and am scheduled a week from tomorrow so I'll gauge this week and decide. 

I have to say that I was feeling better earlier but then decided to a bit of walking which set me back with a lot of muscle soreness that took a few days to recover from. So I'm a bit leery of doing too much at this early stage.

Mine was a bit different, both times I followed the same procedure, which had me doing home physical therapy starting at one week.

Outpatient physical therapy was at four weeks, by which time I could drive and do the basic (simple) initial exercises.

Any kind of movement was challenging, especially for me any side lifts of the leg, which seemed impossible. I worked those out with the home PT, but no reason why it can't happen well with an outpatient person.

Can you have at home PT for the next couple of weeks? Mine was with someone with a lot of experience with THR, I was their first HR (and boy were they excited).

Hope that helps, PT was a very good thing for me.