Category Archives: Hip Resurfacing Information

Surface Hippy features Hip resurfacing articles, doctor information, personal patient stories and the Hip Talk Discussion Forum about Hip Resurfacing. Lean about hip resurfacing vs total hip replacement. Thousand of hip resurfacing patients stories featured.

What is Hip Resurfacing?

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There are currently two basic surgery options available for hip replacement –   Hip Resurfacing or Total Hip Replacement. Hip Resurfacing is bone conserving and allows a patient to return to an active life with no restrictions. Hip Resurfacing is often used for young male athletes who want to return to the sports they love.

A total hip replacement, THR, has been the gold standard for many years. THR is major surgery that can result in a long post-op recovery and often limits your activities depending on the type of hip device that is used. 

Hip Resurfacing Device vs Total Hip Replacement Device
Hip Resurfacing, top right, vs THR Device. Hip Resurfacing has a smaller stem and and requires less bone removal

Hip Resurfacing vs Total Hip Replacement
Bone Conserving hip resurfacing vs THR

bhr thr What is Hip Resurfacing?
Femur bone remains in tact

… Read the rest

Appeal Submitted to my HMO by Dr Gross February 2020 for Danny’s Hip Resurfacing

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I thought this might help others trying to get insurance approval for out of state hip resurfacing. This was written by Dr. Gross on 20/29/2020.

Wording of Remote Consultation which was submitted to my Insurer by Dr Gross’ office.  This was the only attachment to an intake form for the Authorization application.

Chief Complaint:  Right hip pain.

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS:  Mr. Daniel Hahn is a 56-year old man who is consulting me regarding right hip pain.  He has had longstanding problems with the right hip for over 7 years which has gotten progressively worse.  He has difficulty walking and  going up stairs.  He has difficulty getting up from a seated position to a standing position.  Any weight bearing is painful.  He has no significant

… Read the rest

Danny Hahn’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Gross 2020 with Carefirst Insurance

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I hope my post gives a path to navigate doctor offices and your HMO insurance to get coverage in other states where hip resurfacing is offered.  As you may know HMO insurance contracts limit the territory to a local region of contracted doctors for your plan.  In the case of my Blue Choice HMO I recognized no contract wording that gave direction for seeking coverage outside of the territory because the service wasn’t available in-network.  Dr Thomas Gross said that because I tried in-network to get a resurfacing, and upon his determination that I was an excellent candidate, he could submit an application with my Maryland HMO for his services in South Carolina.
To me it made sense that an agreement outside of the Insurance … Read the rest

Metal-on-Polyethylene Hip Resurfacing Implant May Improve Resurfacing Arthroplasty Outcomes 2020

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July 15, 2020 https://www.healio.com/news/orthopedics/20200715/metalonpolyethylene-hip-implant-may-improve-resurfacing-arthroplasty-outcomes Use of a metal-on-highly crosslinked polyethylene implant in hip resurfacing arthroplasty may provide successful short-term outcomes and be a viable option for suitable patients who currently lack a hip resurfacing arthroplasty option, according to published results. “This is a preliminary report of custom devices, but we have had the largest global experience of successful hip resurfacings,” Ronan B.C. Treacy, MB, ChB, FRCS(Orth), of The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, United Kingdom, told Orthopedics Today. “Particularly in smaller patients and female patients, under current guidelines, they are excluded from the benefits of resurfacing with historical bearings and this gives us an insight into the future on showing that a hard-on-soft bearing may, in fact, be viable for the use in these… Read the rest

Smokey’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Gross 2019

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May 6, 2019 As a 62-year-old healthy male, I’ve enjoyed a vigorous, athletic lifestyle exercising, Hiking, Cycling, Horseback riding and Skiing. After visiting with two different orthopedic surgeons in the past year a THR was strongly recommended due to “bone on bone” pain in the right hip diagnosed as “severe” OA. This news was rather shocking causing fear, anger and uncertainty, particularly since no other options were presented or explored. While occasional, sporadic pain for the past three years caused some ROM loss and a moderate decrease in rigorous activity the findings seemed disproportionally aggressive. Unfortunately, the intensity and frequency of pain seemed to be gradually increasing and simply taking an hour drive in the car could cause significant discomfort. Nonetheless, the potential limitations and… Read the rest

New alternatives to Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing by JointMedica 2020

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Hip Resurfacing remains an excellent procedure. Prof McMinn and Mr Ronan Treacy’s previous design the BIRMINGHAM HIP™ Resurfacing (BHR™) (1) proudly demonstrates an ODEP 13A* rating in the UK. (2)

​Restrictions in size range and gender application in many countries relating to Metal on Metal Hip Resurfacing, limit the use of these implants to males, and component sizes from 48 to 62mm only.

JointMedica and others, are exploring alternative materials to Metal on Metal for use in Hip Resurfacings. 

A CGI image of JointMedicas unique monoblock polyethylene Hip Resurfacing design (PHR™), developed with the support of Innovate UK. (3)

ointMedicas unique monoblock polyethylene Hip Resurfacing design

Encouraging results with modern polyethylene supports JointMedica’s hypothesis that Highly Cross-linked Polyethylene could offer advantages over hard on hard articulations in the longer term (4).

… Read the rest

Dr. Latham Video About Hip Resurfacing 2019

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Here is an updated version of my video on hip resurfacing. Since the last one, Andy Murray has undergone surgery and he’s had a very successful seaon winning two titles! There’s a new film about him and his hip resurfacing being premiered on amazon Prime on November 29 which I am sure will be of great interest to tennis and hip resurfacing fans! This contains views of live hip resurfacing surgery. … Read the rest

Hip Resurfacing for Women – What’s Possible

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Hip Resurfacing is still possible for women. See the wonderful stories from active, athletic women below

Only a few hip resurfacing surgeons in the US still do women. If you want a hip resurfacing, you can find out if you are a candidate by emailing the surgeons who do women. Most BHR surgeons no longer do women. Dr. Gross and Dr. Pritchett use different hip resurfacing devices and will give women a hip resurfacing if they are good candidates. Both surgeons have done over 5000 hip resurfacings. Also many of the very experienced overseas surgeons still do hip resurfacing for women. Here is a list of experienced hip resurfacing surgeons:

https://surfacehippy.info/hip-resurfacing-doctors-over-1000-hip-resurfacing-surgeries/

Luann's Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Sparling 2010


Luann's Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Sparling 2010


Luann's Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Sparling 2010


Luann’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Sparling 2010

7 Year Update – I am the

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8 Year Anniversary Jim’s Bilateral Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Marwin 2011

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Read Jim’s Full Story Here  https://surfacehippy.info/jim-bilateral-hip-resurfacing-dr-marwin-2011/

November 15 is my 8th anniversary. I’ve got to thank Pat for this site that helped me with the decision. From the day I walked out of NYU Hospital for Joint Disease after bilateral surgery, it has been all just great!

Running is going better than it has in years. Still race and finish at the top of my age group. Same with triathlon. I don’t even think about my hips anymore.

Like I wrote earlier, life is great. I am one happy hippy!… Read the rest

Professor Walter Interview

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Professor Bill Walter hip resurfacing surgeon from Australia

Prof. William (Bill) L. Walter
***1000 Hip Resurfacings to date
MBBS (Syd), FRACS (Orth), FAOrthA, PhD (surgery)

Kolling Building, 10 Westbourne Street

Royal North Shore Hospital,

St Leonards NSW 2065

Phone: +61 0(2) 9160 6662 (Aust)

Email: asheridan@sogm.com.au

Website: http://billwalter.com.au/

Biography: Prof Bill Walter

Bill Walter, Orthopaedic Surgeon, is the Professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatic Surgery at the University of Sydney.  He supervises PhD students, Masters students and medical students.  In 2012 Professor Walter was the President International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty and hosted the annual meeting in Sydney where over 500 scientific papers were presented, on topics such as robotics and technology in Orthopaedic Surgery. He served as Chairman of the department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Mater Hospital from 2011 to 2014.

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20 Year Update for David’s Bilateral Hip Resurfacing with Mr. McMinn 1999/2013

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Read David’s Original Story Here:  https://surfacehippy.info/david-hip-resurfacing-mr-mcminn-1999/

Mr McMinn replaced my right hip with a BHR twenty years ago (followed by another on the left over six years ago).

It has felt exactly like a natural, healthy hip throughout all that time and I am still as active as I want to be, including tennis a couple of times a week, cycling, motorcycling etc.

I regard myself as very fortunate that this surgery came along just when I needed it.

Best wishes to all,
David
Rt BHR Nov 1999
Lt BHR Oct 2013
Mr D McMinn… Read the rest

Gait after Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Study 2019 by Wiik, Lambkin & Cobb

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Gait after Birmingham Hip Resurfacing an age-matched controlled prospective study
Anatole V. Wiik, Rhiannon LambkinJustin P. CobbPublished Online: https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.101B11.BJJ-2019-0383.R1
Conclusion
Patients undergoing HRA improved their preoperative gait pattern of a significant limp to a symmetrical gait at high speeds and on inclines, almost indistinguishable from normal controls. HRA with an approved device offers substantial functional gains, almost indistinguishable from healthy controls. Read Full Study Here:  https://online.boneandjoint.org.uk/doi/full/10.1302/0301-620X.101B11.BJJ-2019-0383.R1 … Read the rest