Help about tape on the incision!

[Granton]

Hi,

I am not a golfer, but I got back to tennis after five months and it was fine. I only played doubles initially and obviously avoided throwing myself around.

I have had two BHRs done by Mr McMinn. One is over fifteen years old and the other about sixteen months. Both are perfect and have not given me a moments problems. He is a brilliant surgeon.

David Vale

[MattJersey]

Thanks for the positive responses all, so quick too. I'm awake in night tonight, it's 3am, and I'm going to read in a moment to take my mind off things.

I also have a tiny bit of OA in my left hip and judging by what I read on hear I expect that'll be not too long away. It has been playing up a bit tonight (maybe too vigorous walking but I think that my left side is now compensating a lot for my right side's limits).

David, your case at 15+ years is really positive and reassuring. Thanks for posting.

[rburns]

Hey Torontogirl,
Thank you for your input! I'm glad to hear you had such a good experience. If you have the time, I would love to hear more. How active were/are you? What was the recovery like? Any wisdom you would like to pass on? Even about Ghent itself....I'll be there a week in March. Thanks.

[Snowbound]

I practically lived in the recliner the first few days. I set up the guest room bed in the family room beside the recliner and I alternate between them. Having both hips done I can't sleep on either side and find lying on my back in bed difficult.

I built wood blocks to raise the bed 5 inches to make it easier to get out of. I was going to do the same with the recliner but decided that the arms were high enough that I could get in and out of it without too much trouble.

My physio didn't seem concerned about the 90 degree rule as much as I expected. Maybe because the  doctor uses the anterior approach. The big things they warned my about was extending the leg straight back (which is an easy one to avoid) and opening up the hip by leaving a foot planted and turning 90 deg to the opposite side to take a step in that direction.

[livendive]

Like the others who have weighed in, I didn't have too much trouble with it.  I bought a reclining couch specifically for recovery from the hip resurfacings (had one done last month, the other booked for next month).  You can "cheat" your way down and up from a chair of reasonable height by using the chair arms, rotating slightly toward your non-operated side, and keeping your leg straight as you lower yourself to the chair.  When getting up, do the same in reverse, scooting forward till your butt is on the edge of the seat, roll slightly toward the non-operated side, straighten your leg, and push up with arms and non-opperated leg.  This also works for getting in/out of a car and on/off a low toilet seat if the need arises.  The bigger trouble for me was not letting the leg come too far toward the center.  You get the hang of it fairly quickly, using a pillow between legs while sleeping or riding in a car, but it's easy to forget, and the stretched muscles seem to involve those that help stabilize the leg when "under load."  As a result, it kind of wobbles back and forth under strain and some of those wobbles are toward the center which produces a sharp twinge of pain, at least for me.

Yesterday was 6 weeks post-op for me, so the 90 degree restriction was officially lifted.  I've been working for 3.5 of them, driving myself, and yesterday celebrated the occasion by going for an 11.5 mile bike ride.  I took my mountain bike, which has a bit less aggressive posture than my road bike but still gets well past 90 degrees at the top of each pedal rotation.  I had zero pain in my operated hip, but some in my other hip and a lot in my neck, which encouraged me about the prospects of my two remaining surgeries.   

Long story, short - I wouldn't worry too much about the 90 degree restriction.  I didn't find it terribly limiting.

[livendive]

I can't speak to the cash price of Dr Pritchett, as I used insurance for my right hip in January.  The total cost (surgeon + hospital charges) submitted to insurance was around $73k, reduced to $43k based on contracted price structure, and of which I was responsible for $2,875 (my annual out of pocket limit).  Getting my other hip done in two weeks, but with my annual limit already met, I'm off the hook for payment this time.

Pritchett cleared me to start PT in week 3 but didn't want me in the pool till week 4 just to be sure the incision was completely closed so there was zero chance of introducing infection.  I've done all my PT in the water since then and am a huge fan of that environment.

[shabbis]

My Dr removed all restrictions at 2 months, a week after that I was back out in the water. It was around waist to chest high and pretty mellow.

I started out on a big 9'6" in the morning at high tide being very tentative. But after a couple hours I felt much more confident and switched to my 5'10" for low tide. The entire session went a lot better than I thought it would. But there's no way I would have went out if it was a true winter swell like the ones we get up here. Not sure I am ready yet to take a pounding.

Pretty sore all over, except for the hip, it feels great. As others always say "why didn't I have this surgery done sooner!"

[ecchastang]

I have my first appt Mar 2nd with Dr. Rector to see if I am a candidate, but as to the 90 deg rule, I haven't been able to flex my hip to 90 deg in probably 10 yrs.  I just hope I will be able to after surgery.

[KevinHalicki]

I had an appointment with Dr. De Smet but put it off to do more research. I am interested in the Conserve Plus he is using. (he also gets a royalty from using it and the cup he invented.)  I wonder if any other surgeons use the Conserve Plus or any feedback from someone who has had the procedure? I read the article forwarded by rburns (http://www.hip-clinic.com/en/hip-info/publications/50-bhr-versus-conserve-plus).

Thanks

[Meaghan]

Thanks MPH, Nigel and China Lady for sharing your advice and experiences.. l need to advise Stephen McMahon's rooms tomorrow whether I intend to have the THR surgery. l was hoping to have the opportunity to discuss with him whether he will perform the BHR with my signing a waiver accepting the risk presented by metallosis and high rate of revision; acknowledging that he advised me against the procedure and is not accountable. I'm hoping that he will agree to this (I will keep you posted). Although I have good muscle mass and strong large skeletal frame I am equivalent to a small man in stature.  This probably places me at increased risk China Lady, but I am so pleased for you that your bilateral BHRs were such a success    Thanks Nigel for the Sydney contacts, if Stephen elects not to perform a THR for me (l respect his decision) then I will try the Sydney surgeons. I was hoping to go skiing for a month in NZ in September... We'll see ... probably best to try and sort this out first for an outcome that I am happy with rather than having a THR just so I can ski this year.

[toby]

Hi Meaghan,
I've been reading the posts with interest.
I'm quite surprised that Mr Shimmin and Mr McMahon have eliminated women from the resurfacing option. Of course one has been aware for several years that smaller women (and indeed very small framed men) show higher revision rates. Additionally, both manufacturers of BHR and Adept have recommended caution with using <48mm heads etc and of course in less experienced hands this is obviously wise. However, the NJR results from several countries still show a 90% + success rate with these cohorts after 8 years. My surgeon in the UK Professor Cobb (who has very close connections with Mr Shimmin and chairs/moderates Hip conferences with him), told me when I had my surgery that smaller women were more difficult and created other surgical placement challenges-but still takes on women on a patient by patient basis. Indeed, he resurfaced a close friend of mine 3 years ago and she's about 5` 3 inches and has had an excellent result. Also in the UK/Europe Mr McMinn, and Dr Koen De Smet still resurface women and their data show excellent results (upper 90's%) in their long historical data sets.
May I ask, what is your height?
Would you consider Europe?
Best
Toby

[MPH]

Meaghan, the research paper that the Melbourne surgeons seem to have taken their guidance from is " Birmingham hip resurfacing at a mean of ten years" Coulter G, Young DA, Dalziel RE and Shimmin AJ. If you search on this site or Google it you should have an interesting read. It seems from previous posts some surgeons are happy with the associated risks, others are not so happy. I suppose its down to them what they are prepared to carry out.

Good luck in your ongoing search. I sincerely hope you get what you want to continue your life choices.

[jss]

Danny, it's been a few days since your last status. Have the seizures stopped? Are you finally down to just the same tired old boring grinding recovery that we all experience after resurfacing? How's it going?

[Dannywayoflife]

I am back home at my parents now.

I have developed a really nasty oral infection which is making swallowing nigh on impossible.

My leg is ridiculously sore and swollen. One of the other patients on the ward with me his son was an orthopeadic surgeon and I had some very interestng chats with him. He was invited to a bhr surgery by Mr Treacy and he said he's never seen anything like it he used the words poetry in motion. I spoke to him about the fact that Mr T had told me it as a particularly hard operation and he felt the reasons for this were probably the sheer size of my legs, the terrible rom, he said the capsule will have tightened up and thickened and also the very large bone spurs. He felt they would have had to use a massive force to dislocate and will have had to cut a huge amount of muscle to gain exposure. He said I was likely in for a long and slow recovery. Which is what I feel it will be. I am currently struggling to even get to the bathroom and it's just too painful to do anything other than ice in bed.

[oldsoccerplayer]

Hang in there. At least you're out of the hospital, that's got to feel better.

[MattJersey]

Well, the ball is rolling ... I have organised on the work front a plan (which is on a "back in office at t+14 schedule", perhaps ambitious, but can work from home to a fair degree if necessary. And have offers of transport in too which is great, a very supportive team!)

Just working through the insurance cover, make sure I know what I'm letting my wallet in for. And need to tie off some other minor concerns and have a last chat with my GP.

Anyone experience with AxaPPP in UK for the procedure?

Have a pencilled in date of 28 April with Mr McMinn ... Decided not to wait until end of summer, for reasons above: worrying about "collateral damage" to left whilst compensating for ever-worsening right hip, and also inspired by many positive stories on this site, I hope to get a fair portion of the summer and autumn golf season in, maybe from August onwards ... We will see, but really only as part of a gradual rehab up to a rip-snorting 2016 season!

[Daytona Dave]

Keep the faith mate. The first couple of weeks are always the hardest.
Let me know as and when u are up to a brew in Knaresborough :-)

[jss]

I'm sure glad to see that you're past the anesthesia problems. This has been a son-of-a-gun compared to your first reline. Wishing you the best in getting past the other complications. I know that you'll eventually get past this and do great. Good luck!

[Meaghan]

Hi everyone, Great news! After further discussion Stephen McMahon has agreed to perform a BHR on my right hip.  l feel quite relieved but a little apprehensive at the impending surgery in 2 weeks time.. However I am really looking forward to getting back to exercise and doing the things I love without the debilitating night pain.. Thank you all for your advice ... I do believe it gave me the confidence and background to address this influentially with my surgeon!   

[MPH]

Awesome news. Not only that but he is a top surgeon too. Get it done before he changes his mind!