Discussion About Surgeons not doing resurfacing

[Geeod]

The information I gave in my initial request for further details on prosthesis sizes and failure rates obviously created a little anxiety which was not intended.
I note that it now looks to have been removed. I think Pat when you responded to my details about ''they not offering resurfacing to women anymore'', I was referring to my particular surgeon and not all surgeons in the uk.
I have recently spoken to the nurse of my surgeon who had no problem in reiterating what she told me previously. That is that she (my surgeon) is no longer offering resurfacing to women and it seems the recent failure rates have had something to do with the smaller prosthesis. My surgeon had stated that my prothesis was of a smaller size but large enough to be confident of a good result. That was why I tried to gleen some more information from any interested parties.
I was not able to name my surgeon previously as I felt I needed confirmation of what I was informed of previously.
I am happy to state that my surgeon was Ms Sarah Muirhead-Allwood who operates out of the Princess Grace and King Edward hospitals in London. She is a very experienced hip surgeon who has previously operated on the late Queen Mother.
I think this a great website and have recommended it to several people already, it is however a bit of a shame that some helpful discussion topics are labelled as being negative or threatening.

Yours, a slowly recovering surface hippy who is still in some discomfort.

Note by Patricia Walter:  Please understand this website is my personal project that I pay for out of my pocket.  I have done it for 5 years full time.  The reason I have the website is to educate people about the positive aspects of hip resurfacing because I have one and I think they are an excellent solution to hip problems for many people.  I don't like negative, small medical studies to take a prominent role on the website or discussion group since they are "small studies" usually from less experienced hip resurfacing surgeons that often no longer do hip resurfacing.  Hip resurfacing is a very, very diffiuclt surgery and only the most experinced surgeons normally continue to do the surgery.  If I let everyone post about their doctor that does not believe in hip resurfacing or does not do it - the discussion group would be so full of negative info that no one could post a positive story or reply.  I don't hide that fact that there are problems since there are - but I don't dwell on them. They are presented, but are not the featured information on the website.  Both Vicky Marlow and I have been working with thousands of patients for almost 5 years now and we know plently of negative stories - but they are in the minority.  Again, if patients seek out the really experinced pro hip resurfacing surgeons, they normally, don't have problems.  No surgery is perfect and there are plenty of revisions and problems with THRs too.  So it is my job, as I see it since I own the website, to present both the pro and con - but I don't dwell on the problems since I know they are in the minority. That is my opinon based on 5 years of full time work with this website, the experienced hip resurfacing surgeons and thousands of patients.

[Tekka]

Hi Geeod,

I'm 99% this surgeon performed two thr's on Bob Breen who is an exceptional mma.

Bob has had excellent results and runs a full time academy, he too said Sarah was a top surgeon, but I was not aware she performed re-surfs....how many has she performed !!!

I hope your recovery continues to improve, even if slowly..you will get there mate.

Best wishes

Terry

[Pat Walter]

Hi

Thanks for the update that your surgeon is not doing women any more.  That seems a bit extreme since not all women are the same size or have the same problems.  Again, that is why I removed the original information.

I don't want perspective patients to start believing hip resurfacing is not for women - it is still for women and most experinced surgeons judge each person indivdually - case by case.  Not by generalizations based on small studies.  

Dr. Bose of India does a huge amount of small women and has not had any problems.  Again it is the surgeon's experince that determines how many hip resurfacing surgeries they are willing to do.

The most experinced surgeons are still doing women and perspective patients need to seek out the experienced surgeons to get an evaluation.

It is well known that many surgeons in the US bad mouth hip resurfacing and won't do them at all.  That does not mean it is a bad option for people - it means that these surgeons are not well informed or capable of performing the diffiuclt surgery.

It is a very difficult surgery and as time goes some of the surgeons that are not capable or don't have the skills, stop doing hip resurfacing.  There are a handful that I have learned of in the US and obviously now in the UK.

As Mr. McMinn, De Smet, Gross, Su, Mr. Treacy and other really expeirenced hip resurfacing surgeons believe - it is still an excellent surgery for women.  They must be evaluated on a case to case basis.  The same negative findings also have occured for some small men.  

Because a few surgeons anounce they are not doing hip resurfacing for women - does not mean the rest of the experienced surgeons agree.  Hip resurfacing is not the accepted standard world wide for hip replacment and it is taking time for it to become more accepted and popular.  I don't want a few posts about a few obscure surgeons negative thoughts affect people's thinking about hip resurfacing.

Pick a really experinced surgeon or two and get their opinon about your hip, your body and your situation.  Never let generalizations by a few or many dictate opinions.  

Pat

[muzza]

The Australian National Joint Replacement Registry gives the latest statistics on resurfacing in Australia with objective anaysis and conclusions. Better to be guided by such hard facts rather than prejudiced or disillusioned opinion.

[obxpelican]

The Australian National Joint Replacement Registry gives the latest statistics on resurfacing in Australia with objective anaysis and conclusions. Better to be guided by such hard facts rather than prejudiced or disillusioned opinion.

Well said, one thing that stands out is Pat's information about Dr. Bose, look at the amount of small Indian women he's operated on and his success rate.



Chuck