Category Archives: Dr. Vail HR Stories

Dr. Vail personal hip resurfacing story

Dr. Vail Hip Resurfacing Stories

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by
… Read the rest

Moira’s Bilateral Hip Resurfacing BHRs 12/22/09 & 7/21/09 Dr. Vail

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Dr. Vail is such an amazingly skilled surgeon and lovely gentle, humble human being that I would give him the highest recommendations to anyone considering a BHR or THR. Dr. Vail has performed bilateral BHRs on me and I am a new woman thanks to him!

I had my left hip resurfaced by Vail 6 weeks ago, on December 22nd, 2009, and I just came back from a weekend in Tahoe, snowshoeing, swimming and otherwise moving around easily on my new hips. Dr. Vail resurfaced my right hip just 5 months before, on July 21, 2009. I was 48 when I had my right hip resurfaced and 49 when I had my left hip resurfaced.

I saw Vail after having seen two surgeons in the … Read the rest

Steve Dana Hip Resurfacing Dr. Vail 2008

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Thank you so very much for your website – I’m grateful for the quality and organized delivery of the information available here – I plan to return to the site in just a few minutes, provide a donation, and buy a fun t-shirt. There is nowhere else to go for the comprehensive information, authentic real-life stories, and descriptions you and your contributors provide here.

I’m scheduled for unilateral hip resurfacing in just a few days, the 23rd of September, and have been surprised to find so little about Dr. Thomas Vail or UCSF (University of California at San Francisco) on your site. I selected Dr. Vail as my surgeon given the number of resurfacings he has performed (+/- 400), his research and development with De … Read the rest

Michael Broder Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Vail 2003

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Update:  11/14/07 Michael reports no problems with Wright C+ resurfacing (3/31/03) at 4 years, 7 1/2 months

April 6, 2010

I am a diagnostic radiologist in North Carolina.   I joined Yahoo Surfacehippy over 8 years ago.   I just passed my 7th resurfacing anniversary. Like most surfacehippys, I really don’t think about my hip much doing my daily activities.   My scar is barely noticeable, range of motion is fairly normal.   I am repeating my updated story below. I am a non-athletic but active person. Avid snow skier, traveler, gardener. Developed osteoarthritis in left hip only and after 4 years could only walk 150 feet with a cane. 5’8”,  weight increased to 192 lbs before surgery due to inactivity. Resurfacing was part of the Wright C+ Clinical … Read the rest

Christine’s Bi-lateral Hip Resurfacing Dr. Vail 2008

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

I had a bi-lateral hip resurfacing November 25, 2008 with Dr.
Tom Vail at UCSF in San Francisco. As a 60 year old energetic and athletic woman
who loves hiking, sports and kayaking, I wanted to regain my life.

For the last 6-8 years I have been unable to walk more than a
mile without pain so hiking was out of the question and many other sports and
activities became difficult or impossible. After much research I decided to go
with Tom Vail as he has done a lot of surgeries ( I didn’t want to be a guinea
pig!) and quite a few bi-laterals.

After our first meeting, I felt confident that he was the man
for the job. I had interviewed several other … Read the rest

Steve Dana BHR Sept. 23, 2008 Dr. Vail

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Thank you so very much for your website – I’m grateful for the quality and organized delivery of the information available here – I plan to return to the site in just a few minutes, provide a donation, and buy a fun t-shirt. There is nowhere else to go for the comprehensive information, authentic real-life stories, and descriptions you and your contributors provide here.

I’m scheduled for unilateral hip resurfacing in just a few days, the 23rd of September, and have been surprised to find so little about Dr. Thomas Vail or UCSF (University of California at San Francisco) on your site. I selected Dr. Vail as my surgeon given the number of resurfacings he has performed (+/- 400), his research and development with De
… Read the rest

Michael Broder Hip Resurfacing Story

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by
April 6, 2010

I am a diagnostic radiologist in North Carolina.   I joined Yahoo Surfacehippy over 8 years ago.   I just passed my 7th resurfacing anniversary. Like most surfacehippys, I really don’t think about my hip much doing my daily activities.   My scar is barely noticeable, range of motion is fairly normal.   I am repeating my updated story below.

I am a non-athletic but active person. Avid snow skier, traveler, gardener. Developed osteoarthritis in left hip only and after 4 years could only walk 150 feet with a cane. 5’8”,  weight increased to 192 lbs before surgery due to inactivity.Resurfacing was part of the Wright C+ Clinical Trial at Duke (Dr. Vail) 3/31/03.   No special preparation.   No transfusion required.   Had combination of local anesthesia,… Read the rest

Moira Hip Resurfacing Bilateral BHRs 12/22/09 & 7/21/09 Dr. Vail

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Dr. Vail is such an amazingly skilled surgeon and lovely gentle, humble human being that I would give him the highest recommendations to anyone considering a BHR or THR. Dr. Vail has performed bilateral BHRs on me and I am a new woman thanks to him!

I had my left hip resurfaced by Vail 6 weeks ago, on December 22nd, 2009, and I just came back from a weekend in Tahoe, snowshoeing, swimming and otherwise moving around easily on my new hips. Dr. Vail resurfaced my right hip just 5 months before, on July 21, 2009. I was 48 when I had my right hip resurfaced and 49 when I had my left hip resurfaced.

I saw Vail after having seen two surgeons in the

… Read the rest

Ashley Selman’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Vail 2013

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

Ashley Selman’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Vail 2013

Uploaded on Jul 22, 2013

Ashley Selman — part drill sergeant, part cheerleader — met every grunt and bead of sweat in her training studio with encouragement.

“Good job!” she yelled. “Great form!”

Selman, whose successful career as a fitness trainer developed from her love of sports, was finishing up her last day at work before a scheduled hip replacement surgery.

At the age of 43, she is an unlikely candidate for this type of procedure. But the former collegiate athlete’s hip troubles go back almost 30 years, when she injured her right hip during a skiing accident as a teenager. She had learned to live with the discomfort, but eventually the pain began to interfere with … Read the rest

Austin M Bilateral ASR Dr. Vail April 1, 2008

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

March 13, 2008

My doctor is Thomas Vail at UC San Francisco. My doctor is planning to use the Depuy ASR.  Have read what I could find on your great site from bilats and it’s all feeling good. The rehab really doesn’t seem much tougher, but I keep thinking I must be missing something!

April 13, 2008

Just completed what seems to be a very successful bilateral resurfacing. Have been essentially pain free since the operation, taking one Percocet to help me sleep for a few nights and moving to Tylenol after about 5 days post surgery. I’m now 11 days post surgery , walking very easily on crutches and even able to take a few steps without them. Couldn’t possibly be happier with the … Read the rest

Doug J’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Vail 2011

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

August 21, 2011 I am 37 and I am scheduled to have my left hip resurfaced (Conserve Plus) in 3 days. I just wanted to thank Pat and all of the Hip Talk members. This website and discussion forum has been invaluable. Like many of you, I received conflicting views from different doctors, which made the process confusing. But, after much reading and reflection, as well as drawing from your experiences, I decided that a hip resurfacing was my best option.

I have 3 young kids who I have only been able to watch play on the playground. I have been active (basketball, skiing, karate, cycling, etc.) my whole life, so it’s been frustrating to only walk a block or two without experiencing pain. I … Read the rest

Tom Hip Resurfacing Dr. Vail 2001

Surfacehippy | Hip Resurfacing Alternative to Total Hip Replacement Posted on by

In 1995 I was diagnosed with a bone on bone situation in my right hip. At the time I was 56 years old and extremely active, which included regular physical fitness. Due to my lifestyle and age my doctor felt I was too young to have a replacement since the normal procedure has a limited life which meant I would probably need to have it replaced one or more times in my lifetime (heredity indicates longevity). So I went on the Ibuprofen diet, hoping to get by for several years more.   In early 2000 I gave up and scheduled an appointment with a local orthopedic surgeon. The weekend prior to that appointment I saw a story on one of the news programs about a ballet … Read the rest