I have now had the operation from Dr De Smet for my hips.

Pretty courageous move to achieve.

Interesting he used the Conserve plus device in the end in which I thought he would.

He is not biased in any way just what he thinks works best.

My surgery was very, very tricky due to the FAI surgery I had in NZ as they took away much needed bone that he could have used both on the pelvis rim and the Femur.

I had to have cemented femur components in the end as he did not wish to take the risk of uncemented due to the other surgeries.

So I am pleased I had him do the job. His offer was the only offer I ever had so looking at that it is the best decision I could have made.

I asked him about the BHR and the Conserve and interesting he commented that he was fracturing the female pelvis a lot when inserting the BHR acetabular component in the females.

One of the reasons he shy’s away from the BHR.

His document on the BHR to Conserve also points out some very good advantages of the Conserve Plus.

Now who was I to say when I am on the operating table and I have had this issue for 8 years of hobbling around to ask the best in the world to insert a BHR please. That would be dumb!!

I just said you do your best and use the device you think is going to give me the best result.

He was also awesome in the fact I lost blood but did not wish to give me a coagulant as it was another $1000 euro.

So while I am been operated on he is thinking about my financial welfare what a guy!!

I also had 1 more day in hospital at no extra cost and a single room when only I paid for a double to save costs.

After reading his article on the BHR in comparison to the Conserve Plus it seems rather odd that these are now withdrawn off your American market. But I suppose that’s how things go maybe there are rather poor surgeons out there fitting these devices and there are more than one reason than just the prosthesis that is to blame.

Anyway I have full faith in what he has done and there is always critics.

A lot of my symptoms (almost all) now have gone and I can sleep.

I went by myself in the end and made it home safe and sound even though it was a 36 hour trip home.

Was great to see my family when I got home as they are most supportive knowing what my life has been like for the last 8 years.

I am the first from New Zealand on his list.

Thanks for the great web site and I am only 3 weeks post op. Hopefully able to get off my crutches in the next 2 weeks. It is improving day by day.

Dr De Smet is one of the most different surgeons I have ever meet.

The words “I want to help you” will never leave my mind. I have never, ever had that. Really nice, awesome, cool guy.

Karl from New Zealand

May 23, 2015

I had a bilateral done on 29th of April this year Dr DeSmet. After 8 years of suffering I finally got through all the issues of Back pain (2 replacement disc’s) knees issues and numb feet issues and yes burning left hip and weak flexion on the right side (limping) The recent surgery has at this stage only 3 weeks after the surgery changed or fixed 90% of all of that and I can sleep. I am almost off pain killers and have the left leg to sort out right leg seems real good. These get hit rather hard when they get dislocated for surgery.
Interesting Dr DeSmet used the Conserve plus which is not available in the US now due to legal stuff which I am not going to get involved in. Hell this bloke took me on and gave me a shot at life again I am not going to question devices and prosthesis after the fact. I did read information from Pat and Dr De Smet has a good document so I did some homework first. If you require the document  ask Pat. At this point it is an excellent job due to the fact I had FAI surgery in 2013 this made his surgery very, very tricky so if anyone is considering this (FAI) I would look at this reason first to maybe not do the FAI and suffer until one get all the facts and opinions. The FAI surgery took away much needed bone that Dr DeSmet could have used.
I have a 48mm left side and 50 mm right side and the first person from New Zealand. It was a grueling 36 hour trip home but I made it by myself. Use assistance in the airlines its a great service.

Why did my hips fail? Injury, Activeness,  and really,  really deep hip sockets (called coxa profunda) “FAI stuff”.
Or in the end just osteoarthritis due to really deep sockets. Bugger!!
You have injuries with these hips there is less range of movement than a normal hip easy to injure.

Will there be another Dr DeSmet? I doubt it. He is a humble, hard working surgeon that pays attention to detail.  He likes to also know why things happen and he really wants just to help people. Amazing is all I can say. My stay in the hospital was 1 more day and I had a room to myself at no extra cost. He also did not give me extra blood or coagulant as this was going to cost me $1000 Euro. So while I am being operated on he is thinking about my financial welfare as well. Awesome who does that???  This was no extra cost to me.
It is a grueling operation getting a bilateral I don’t think I will ever forget it but it has sorted my issues so far. I yet are to get off the crutches but it’s looking real good. Yeah you get the odd clunking stuff but hell my hips used to move about before so it s no biggie to me. I don’t really have much more to update but good luck to anyone getting a bilateral. Life maybe real different in a few months time and hopefully I can walk normal style again. Like I used to.

October 5, 2015

My first 5 k run today. Dog loved it, I loved it and seemed my body loved it as well….. I got the tick to do what I what from Dr De Smet….. His reply to my email….. 
Amazing 5 months after your op your running….. I waited 8 years for this day. Choice!! is what I say………  K. Dear Karl, at this stage you can do what you want, just like you feel.
There are not any constraints, just do it progressively like your body tells you
greetz
KOEN

October 25, 2015

I was on crutches for 7 years. I was hooting around behind my mate on my Trance Giant bike yesterday then before that a 20 min run thinking this is a big change from what happened. I am going to have to throw all those things over my shoulder the years of chronic pain and being down about it.

October 30, 2015

 Ok I did 50 mins hard biking yesterday mountain biking on the road, then a 2 k run just because now I can. That has been about 2 months since I started running I have about 7 months to go I reckon before I really can crank it up. Will the HR stand up to it. Doctor said to me you can do anything you want!!!!! So do you think I will muck around waiting anymore no man not on your life….. The BHR and or other resurfacing devices have a record if implanted correctly the survival rate is unknown. At this point it is 17 years plus for a bloke of your age at 95% success rate. I would assume Dr De Smets are the same. He has said it may last the rest of my life

January 9, 2016

Been 8 months now up and down but still have issues but I was able to do a 3/4 hour walk and no issues the next morning so things are looking up…. Its a long rehab I feel the longer your issues are. Not sure how it goes for example I was on and off crutches for seven years to aid me walking yet on paper my joints were fantastic in the eyes of Radiologists in  NZ but to De Smet it was No.
Yes  my knees have taken a beating especially the left knee and may never recover and I will have to live with it.

July 19, 2016

I have had some very cool recovery the last few days. I don’t have a physio here but what I have found and talking around various physio’s,gym people is just a plain old squat. So I am ridiculous weak Gluts max, quads, Tensor and just by doing the squats has kicked it all back in. I have tendons and muscle that I thought I never had so now they are doing the job. It nice to know they still work and how a normal person should walk. So I believe the adductor thing is due to joint instability and that also is what my physio has experienced so I will leave it all alone and do just exercise that targets the glut max. Every thing else now is following along. the adductor thing should go down or stop being overactive when the others get strong enough. Once upset it can cause major issues.

August 15, 2016

I had my bilateral last year April. Finished half marathon in the rain the other day and getting fitter and fitter by the week. My hips (muscles) took a massive blow after all the weakness of years of suffering and pain (7 years on crutches) bilateral resection pincer dominant, also Scoping right hip x 2 all did not help.

Then Dr Koen De Smet Bilateral resurfacing. So now I am back climbing hills. I still have a long way to go but it seems on-wards and upwards from here. Ok exercises I found help due your muscles are weak from  FAI already is just a pure simple squat….. x 20 each day.

September 24, 2016

One other item I use and have had to adopt on my own back is diet.
Once you realize that arthritis affects a portion of the population. When asking the question to myself   why do I get it and others are still running at their 70’s.
We are not all the same is what I have found through my experience. People can drink, smoke, eat what they want and some are bullet proof. then they fall over and die quickly.
Some of us suffer and suffer.

What I have found is the answer in the Paleo Answer book by Lorain Cordan who is a Scientist (USA).
So I use the Paleo Answer, Paleo diet, and the Paleo cook book 100% now.
So how was my 2 hour run yesterday. Pretty Awesome!!! Doing another Half marathon Saturday.
It gets better and better and all this helps so Ice man maybe give it a go as well.
Depends how dedicated you are at getting back or achieving even more in life you did not do. Hell this is opening up a massive door for me.
Do I think the resurfacing will last? don’t know confident they will not any real long- long statics out there yet. Are they strong? You bet they are.

December 26, 2016

Life seems to be a never ending story of learning and trying to achieve certain goals in life – or get back to a normal “you” or to try and fit back into society.
I had my bilateral resurfacing April 2015 and most has gone well. Although I am not fond of the scars and appearance the functionality and pain has changed my life.
Arthritis is not nice stuff and I have many family member given their opinion of my health and lost many friend over what has happened due also to their opinion.
I also lost a fantastic job in which I had passion for.
Simple stuff but that’s me……
Been 8 years on crutches was not my idea of a life.
Fact is I had to suck it all up due I had FAI pincer type which is very abnormal for a bloke and this screwed my hips at age of 40. To bad stuff happens in life and that is that. I had minor issues before this which were tell tail signs but never had the slightest clue at what was going on. FAI is really a new idea.

Ok I am out the other side have done 4 half marathons, but not back to work yet.
The hips they are good range of movement etc.
Strength is poor but functionality is way up there.

Sum it all up the longer you have the issue the longer it takes to come right that is my total experience.

This was all passed to me by a recent physio that I am doing with regards to some shoulder rehabilitation I am doing at present. He has had experience at exactly what I have described so I now have someone to brain storm against and help me – assist- me in getting the strength back in both joints. Yes I still have issues due to the long time off my legs.

I am ready now for a strengthening program I have the functionality – range of movement.
I will be really pushing hard for this strengthening program (in documentation as well) for others.

I am hoping after a year from now given the right strengthening I may be pain free and have all 3 items. Functionality, Range of movement,  Strength.

What I have not seen as yet is a protocol – procedure of self help on this WEB site that would do any resurfaced hip once the range of movement is established and functionality is back.