angle of hip

[hippy]

 have just been told that I need to have both of my hips replaced because the angle of the hip joint is over 140 instead of 130 - this has lead to a change in the shape of the joint head (it now has a slight mushroom shape).

This has come as a bit of a shock as I am only 30 years old.

The surgeon says that my choices are to have a Mayo conservative hip replacement or to go for hip reconstruction to change the angle of the joint - he is recommending the replacement.

He hasn't mentioned this type of resurfacing as an option.

Any advice??

[Pat Walter]

Hello
Are you in a great deal of pain?

I don't know about your specific problem, but my advice would be to talk to some of the very best hip resurfacing and hip replacment surgeons in the world like Dr. De Smet and Dr. Bose.  They are amoung the best and will give you a free email consultation if you send them your story and attache a copy of your x-rays digitally in .jpg format.

I would imagine that either would also just talk with you via email if you don't have your x-rays available in digital format.  You need to ask their opinion and if they have worked with this type of problem.

The reason I suggest you do the consultations with those 2 doctors is because it is free and you are very young.  Hip resurfacing is often not recommended by many orthos because either they don't know much about it or for some reason don't want to take the training to learn to do it.  It is a much more difficult surgery than a THR.

However, a hip resurfacing will leave you with your complete fumur bone, so if you need a revision later in life, you will have a complete femur bone to work with.  Each time you revision a THR, it becomes more and more difficult.

Also hip resurfacing will allow you to do any sport or activity you want to do. There are no restrictions to your activities.

There are also some US doctors that are very experienced, but not too many will give you free consultations.  Also few US doctors have done over 2400 hip resurfacings like Dr. De Smet or over 800 like Dr. Bose.  I went to Dr. De Smet because of his experience. 

Here is their email information

Dr. Koen De Smet
ANCA-Clinic
Kalverbosstraat 31A
9070 Heusden
BELGIUM
Phone: +(1)32 9 2525903
Fax: +(1)32 9 2526457
+1 for USA & Canada:
E-mail: helpdesk@heup.be
ANCA Clinic Website

Dr. Vijay C. Bose
BHR Regional centre - India
Apollo Speciality Hospital, 320, Mount Road, Chennai - 600035. INDIA
E-Mail: bose5vijay@hotmail.com
Telephone: 0091-44-(0) 98400 - 32251
Hip Resurfacing India Website


Some insurance companies will pay for surgery with Dr. De Smet.

I definitely would take time to get other opinions before you decide what you think is the right course of action for your hips.  Even if you have to get a THR, you want a very experienced surgeon doing your surgery if it is a difficult problem.

I went to 4 orthos before I made up my mind to go to Dr. De Smet.  I had to pay each of them $200 each to hear them tell me I should have a THR. Actually 3 wanted to give me the old fashioned, small ball - plastic metal type that dislocates very easily.  You will want to learn about your options should you have to get a THR.  You will want to learn about the MOM - metal on metal hip that is about the same size as the ball of your femur, or even the Ceramic on Ceramic which is also a large ball the same size as your femur.

Please let us know if we can help you find out more information. I wish you luck in your search. Please take time to find out everything you can about hip resurfacing and THRs.  You are very young and need the very best option you can find.

Pat

[Vicky]

I agree wit Pat, get another opinion.  Unfortunately many US docs still do not tell patients about resurfacing if they don't do the procedur themselves. Or if they don't have a lot of experience then they will tell a patient that he does not qualify for resurfacing when he does.  I was told I was not a candidat for resurfacing by a very reputable OS at Stanford, guess what, he didn't do resurfacing and I had my surgey 20 months ago and am doing great.  I know there are some very difficult cases that have been succesfully resurfaced but you need to find a good experienced resurfacing doc.

Vicky