Information About Dr. De Smet

[Pat Walter]

Thank you for your very helpful website!  It may have changed my life.

I was wondering how long your incision is and where it is?
What kind of anesthesia did you have? i.e. spinal, etc.
Have you heard of any resurfaced who had lymphedema after?
Did Dr. DeSmet express concerns about weight - I think I am 35 lbs over weight?
Did the long flight home bother your operation?

I had a resurface about 3 years ago and need another op on other hip.  But because of a very bad experience in hospital and with doctor's behavior I will not consider a return experience with either (a long story).  I think the choice of Dr. and follow-up care is of utmost importance.  It seems the care in Belgium is very personal, unpretentious, and skilled as well as low infection rate.  And it might be a good place to offset the shockingly unpleasant exp I had 3 years.  (Yes, I went in with a very positive attitude.)
I hope and pray it is not too late for another resurface.

Thank you for telling your story. It has helped me more than you will ever know.  And I thank you in advance for your reply.  Sincerely,  Raie

[Pat Walter]

Hi Raie

Thank you for writing to me and you very kind words.

I hope that my website did help you.  I spend a great deal of time working on the website in an effort to help people find out information about hip resurfacing.

I think Dr. De Smet is one of the very best surgeons in the world.  My incision is about 9". Dr. De Smet  believes in using large incisions so he can get in and out quickly and not hurt any surrounding tissue, ligaments and muscles.  He feels the less time you are in the operating room, the quicker you will recover.  His normal operation takes about 45 minutes.  He uses a general anasthesia since he wants the whole body as relaxed as possible.  I had no problem with it, but told them that I often get nauseated and wanted something after surgery to make sure I did not get sick.  THey gave me something in my IV and I did not get sick.  I can't even remember anything after I went down to surgery.  I am very easily knocked out.  Many people do remember being in the recovery room, etc. 

I am not a medical person and had to look up lymphedema.  I did not have any amount of swelling or bruising.  Dr. De Smet does not use drains and my incision was clean and closed from the begining.  I had only stitches since I was a woman. THere were 8 of us in Belgium when I was there and only one lady had swelling. THis was about 5 days later when we went into town and crutched around. She was too active and her leg and hip swelled up.  She iced it and took it easy for a couple days.  It still remained somewhat swollen and she continued to ice.  It is not hurt her, but was stiff.  None of the rest of us had any measurable swelling.  Many patients of the US doctors often have swelling.  I truely feel it is Dr. De Smets operating technique. He does in a way to not cause problems.  He has a great leg holder and I am told that also helps. 

I had no great pain after I was released from the hospital.  I was OK after surgery until the next day when I used the bedpan.  It somehow upset my new hip and REALLY REALLY hurt!!!  They gave me a morphine shot in my thigh to stop the pain and x-rayed my new hip.  It was fine and I got over the pain.  So I was a day behind everyone else. The morphine shot made me so sleepy that I spend the day sleeping and did not learn to use crutches like everyone else.  I used a walker until I got to the Holiday Inn. Then Marc taught me to use the elbow crutches.

I only took Advil when I got to the Holiday Inn because their fizzy codene tablets made my stomach upset.  I really did not need much of anything except at night for my sore muscles.  The new hip did not hurt any more.  It is the muscles that are sore and stiff.  I was able to actually lift my operated leg up onto the bed after a few days. Marc was surprised about that.

Since I was older, 61, I was very tired most of the time and slept a lot.  I did not miss our evening get togethers in the lounge.  All of us hippies and our spouses and helpers had a great time.

My experience in the Belgium hospital was good.  They tend to speak broken English - but most do speak English. I had very nice nurses and attendents. Some people said they did not have as nice of helpers.  I guess it is just luck who you get.  Iam not saying there were not caring, but maybe not as warm as you would like. Mine were all great.  Maybe it is your own attitude reacting with the people.  You are oly in the hospital 2 1/2 days.  The food is not great, but I was not very hungry while I was there.  You can also have someone bring you something from the cafeteria or the outside.

I would go back to Belgium and Dr. De Smet in a minute if I had a problem or needed my other hip done.  I have complete faith in him.  I liked his bedside manner and he is of course, extremely, experienced at over 2400 hip resurfacings. His whole staff is very kind, warm and caring.  You can write to him anytime you want and he will answer you.  You get his cell phone number while you are in Belgium so you can call him anytime also.

I hope that helps you out.  Let me know if I can help in any other way.  I certainly wish you the very best in getting your second hip done.

Pat