Ceramic Coated Hip Resurfacing Devices

[jackmac32]

Hello,
I am newbie to the group...thanks to all for the great information.

I am a 42 year old male who has had pain in my left hip for about 2-3 years.  I ran about 15 miles a week for 20 years and my father had a Hip Replacement when he was 52. 

Last fall, when I went to my PCP he ordered X-Rays which showed  Severe OA in the left Hip and Moderate OA in the right.  The left is showing Bone on Bone on just the outside corner. I have moderate pain now, and the PCP suggested I wait as long as possible to have anything done giving me some Meloxicam to help when it gets bad.

The 1st Ortho Surgeon I consulted with wanted to open me up right there in the Examining Room and put in a THR.  After visiting this site, I went out and got a 2nd opinion from a Surgeon that does both THR and Resurfacings.  He has done about a hundred to date and said I was definately a candidate for an eventual Resurfacing.

He also mentioned that in 3-4 years, they may come out with Resurfacing Devices that are "Ceramic Coated" on the insides to prevent any Metal ION issues.  I may not make it that far before I need something done, but was wondering if anyone else has heard of this new technology.
Thanks,
Jack.

 

[Bionic]

Hi Jack,

Welcome to the forum.  I've heard that there's work being done on an implant with metal on the inside and ceramic on the outside.  I think it's very preliminary, however.

It turns out it's a pretty difficult thing to build.  The goal is to provide an implant that's less brittle than full ceramic while being as durable as metal.  Technically, it's hard to achieve all that in an implant thin enough to work as a resurfacing device.

It might be a fine product once it comes to market, but I wouldn't bet on it arriving in the 3-4 year time span the doctor has suggested.  Also, the need for that implant is predicated on the belief that metal ions are actually dangerous.  Except in cases where the implants have been installed improperly (e.g., at too steep an angle) or where the patient has deep tissue metal sensitivity, metal ions have not been shown to be harmful.

So the ceramic on metal technology may be addressing a non-existent problem.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Jack

To date, as far as I know, only one ceramic on ceramic hip resurfacing device has been implanted by Mr. McMinn in the UK.  Ceramic hip resurfacing devices become a bit of a problem since it is difficult to make ceramic thin and strong.

Surgeons overseas were placing BHRs since 1997 while it took until 2006 for it to be approved in the US.  So even if Mr. McMinn is able to get a good design off the ground and usable, it will be years and years before we ever see it in the US. 3 to 4 years is almost a dream to see a new product develop and be FDA approved in the US.  The Biomet and Wright C+ and ASR are all waiting for FDA approval and have been used for many, many years.  So you can see how something brand new would be way more than 3 or 4 years away.

That is one reason I went to Belgium to Dr. De Smet in 2006 to be my BHR - it was not being used in the US.  Also many US doctors don't like doing older women and I was 61 at the time of my resurfacing.

If you are in pain and no longer active, it is probably best to get a resurfacing and get back into life again.  Nothing is worse than sitting for years doing nothing.  I know since I sat for almost 10 years since I did not want an old fashioned THR.

Most people don't have problems with metal ions.  Those that do are often the result of improperly placed cups at wrong angles that causes excessive wear on the bearing surfaces.  So if you use a really experineced hip resurfacing surgeon, you should not be facing high metal ion problems.  They are actually rare.  I do have a few stories on the website about revisions due to misplaced cups, but again they are a rarity.

I hope you will be able to find the confidence thru this board, your surgeon and further reading to get a resurfacing if you are in great pain and inactive.

Pat

[frosty1235]

This is a frustrating topic. A ceramic on ceramic hip resurfacing device would be a huge step forward. It would eliminate all the ion, pseudotumor, metal debris concerns of metal on metal I would think. What is frustrating is how little info I could find on the device that McMinn used to implant a patient a few months ago. Is the product available? Is McMinn doing more ceramic on ceramic implants? Is there a time table for when this device goes mainstream? All that is out there now is a video of a lady lucky enough to have one. Why no info? 

Frosty

[Pat Walter]

Hi Frosty

I understand your frustration, but you have to understand how slowly new developements process.   First, this is the private design by McMinn and I assume, as with other devices, it is all pretty much under his control.  Hip devices take a long, long time to develop and improve.  As far as I know, it is not available from anyone but McMinn.  I could be wrong.

You have to realize how SLOW the US medical system is.  Most people don't realize we live in the dark ages of medical advances in th US now. Hip resurfacing as been used since 1997 overseas and it took until 2006 for the FDA to approve one device in this country.  Pretty dog gone slow to me.  There are many advances in other countries not available in the US.

If you are willing to travel like I did and many hundreds before me, you might be able to contact McMinn to find out more.  I went to Dr. De Smet in Belgium to get my BHR because it was not FDA approved in the US, I had no insurance and I was an older woman.  If you really believe in something, you sometimes have to travel great distances to get it.

I imagine we will hear more about the ceramic resurfacing in the future.  If you ever worked in engineering or in the medical developement field, you would realize things move at a snail's pace.  Don't look for it to be used in the US in the very near future.  Geez, we don't even have the Biomet, ASR and Wright C+ hip resurfacing devices approved yet and they have been used for years.

Good Luck.

Pat