need doctor from minnesota

[topspeed]

Hey,

I am new to this.  I have an arthitic right hip.  One Orthopedic sugeon has recommend a THR with a large ball.  I am not intrigued with that thought.  I still am very intrigued with Hip Resurfacing.  I run a personal fitness studio.  I ride bicyles, fast if I can.  I golf and ride a motorcycle as well.  I like to play with my dog too.  But I am having pain in my right hip.  I wanted to know if anyone out there has had surgery for a BHR from a ortho in Minnesota?

Thank You!

John

[Pat Walter]

Hi John

Welcome to Hip Talk.  I have started this discussion group because I wanted a smaller, more personal group than the Yahoo Surface Hippy Disucsison Group http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/surfacehippy/. But it is a great resource with over 6000+ members.  If you feel you need more information than we can provide from this small group, be sure to check it out. You will receive over 100 emails a day - so decide ahead of time if you want to recieve the emails to your computer or just read them on the Yahoo Website.

Since your are very active, I would certainly encourage you to try to find a surgeon that will give you a hip resurfacing.  The Large Ball THR's are OK, but they still cut off part of your femur bone. Then if and when you need a revision at some time in the future, it is much more difficult to revise.  http://www.surfacehippy.info/thrrevision.php  At least with a BHR, you have your full femur bone left and your first revision is easier. Most people with the large ball THRs do well, but I am still a believer in hip reusrfacing and believe it is the best option if you are a candidate.

If you are in good physical condition as you mention, you will probably recover fairly quickly and easily from the BHR surgery.  I was 61 when I had my hip resurfaced in March 2006 with Dr. De Smet and I was on one crutch at 4 days and no crutches at 4 weeks.  The overseas doctors are much less restrictive in the post-op recovery protocols. I liked that.

You do have a BHR surgeon near you:
Dr. Robert Trousdale
Mayo Clinic
200 1st Street SW
Rochester MN 55905
Beth Swarthout
Appointment Secretary
507-284-9218
Mayo Clinic - Dr. Troudsdale Website

I don't know how many hip resurfacings he has done to date.  If you should contact him and find out - please let me know so that I can post it on my doctor statistics page.  I am a firm believer in using a surgeon with a lot of experience, but not everyone agrees with that thinking.  It is really up to you.  I have written an article about how to choose a surgeon http://www.surfacehippy.info/pcselectingsurgeon.php if you are interested. Of course, it is only my opinion.

If you really want a hip resurfacing, you might also consider traveling a little distance.  THere is a more experienced doctor in Wisconsin John S. Rogerson, MD- BHR trained 2006
2 Science Court Suite 101
Madison, WI 53711
Phone (608) 231-3410
Fax (608) 231-3430
Email:jsrmdsc@mcleodusa.net
http://www.orthorogerson.com
Meriter Hospital


and of course the great surgeons overseas like Dr. Bose in India and Dr. De Smet in Belgium.  It really depends on what you are looking for and what you can spend, and if you do or don't have insurance.  I had to pay for my BHR since I did not have health insurance.

Let me know if you have any more questions. You can also write to me personally if you feel you need to.

Pat

[slick1944]

Hi John -  In the Twin Cities you'll also find another qualified BHR surgeon.  He's an associate prof at U of M and also teaches surgical interns at the VA Hospital.

A close friend had her BHR done by Dr. Nelson in March.  My BHR is scheduled for in July.   Good Luck - Deb

THOMAS ERL NELSON, MD
Orthopaedic Consultants, PA
7373 France Ave S Suite 312
Edina, MN
Appointments – Jacquie   952-832-0076

[Pat Walter]

Hi Deb

Thank You for posting the information about Dr. Nelson. Do you know how many hip resurfacings he has done so far?

Are you going to have your surgery done with him? 

If you have any more info I would appreciate learning more about him.  Also if your friend has time, I would post a small story about her hip resurfacing so other people can learn about Dr. Nelson.  It really helps people to read personal stories from patients of different doctors. 

Will you keep us updated about your surgery?  Maybe write a small story that I can post on the website for others?  It doesn't have to be long or involved, unless you like to write. Then long would be fine too.

Thanks for posting on Hip Talk.  I know people will appreicate your information.

Pat - Owner/Webmaster of Surface Hippy and Hip Talk

[slick1944]

Hi Pat!

There are several more BHR surgeons in Minnesota but they're difficult to identify -  I'll look them up again and post separately.

As of April '07, Dr. Nelson's PA told me he'd done over 25 BHR procedures.  Dr. Tom E Nelson's Specialized Training from practice website:  http://www.ocpamn.com/

• Two-Incision Minimally Invasive Total Hip Arthroplasty (Certified as Instructor and Surgeon Educator)
  Certified in Quad-Sparing Minimally Invasive Total Knee Replacements
  Operative treatment of cancers of the Musculoskeletal System
  Surgeon-Consultant for Zimmer and Wright Medical Inc.
  Hip

Resurfacing Surgery

My girl friend does not have online access.  However, I did find another Nelson BHR patient which was posted on the YAHOO surface hippy site.  He and I have been emailing each other.  I've deleted his name from the post below.

Dr. Thomas Nelson (Edina, MN) was fantastic. I found this site when
my January THR was rescheduled. This site led me to the Birmingham
site, then to Dr. Nelson. Dr. Nelson is in the same surgical group as
my original surgeon (who never even suggested resurf to me). I am a
40 yr old male, ya think I should have known about resurfacing???

Anyway, I'm past that and thrilled with the results so far. Correct
me if I'm wrong, I had the right hip done, does that make me BHR 05/07?

Anyway, some of my experiences for the rest of you. My biggest enemy
has been the swelling and soreness in the thigh muscles. I was told
to get some of the blue refreezable ice packs and use those
(useless).

I consulted a trainer friend in the NHL and he led me to use what they
call ice massage. You fill 10-12 oz paper drink cups with water and
freeze them. After PT or walking or any old time, take one of the
cups and peel back the paper from the top. Begin rubbing the ice on
your thigh using a circular motion. The first 15 seconds is torture,
feels great after that. I was told to do this for 20 minutes, let the
area rest for 20 minutes, then repeat for 20 minutes. My swelling
went a way lickity split and the muscle soreness has been minimal as I
start my exercises and walking. I stay away from the surgical site (I
put the useless refreezable packs there). I go through 4 or 5 cups a
day. It has been great compared to those first days in the hospital.
When your favorite athlete has a muscle strain or pull, this is part
of their therapy.

I also feel that the advice I received about drinking as much water as
I can stand from the time I woke up has been a big factor in how
speedy my recovery has been. The nurses would laugh and give me a
hard time about how full my catheter(that was a nice suprise when I
woke up) bag was....

Just trying to share some simple things that I feel have helped me.

Thanks to everyone that has emailed your support! Please email me if
you have questions I will be glad to share my experience. I am one of
those that doesn't like to stick his head up out of the foxhole here
as I have been shot at a little also!

BHR 05/21/07
Dr. Nelson

[Pat Walter]

Hi Deb

Thanks for the post. I will look up the poster of the the email from Dr. Nelson on the Yahoo Surface Hippy Disucssion group and see if I can get his permission to post his email as a personal story on my website.  I like to have stories from as many people as I can who used the newer BHR doctors.  It is a help to other new people looking for information.

Thanks again for your information.

[Pat Walter]

Thanks Deb - I was having a really hard time trying to find it with the Yahoo Search tool.  It gets to be difficult to search sometimes.

Thanks again.

Pat

[Pat Walter]

Hum     Thats was a very interesting group of posts from that number #109541 but I didn't find the Dr. Nelson stuff. 

The sex topic often comes up on the Discussion Group and is always interesting.  I guess I should have a page about it on my website - but haven't decided just how to approach the subject!  Well I guess that's what it is really all about - the approach!  Hum 

We had a very interesting talk about sex and bad hips one night at the Holiday Inn in Gent Belgium when I was there last year.  All of us 8 surface hippies were sitting around and one of the ladies daughters said she could not understand why a bad hip would keep you from having sex.  It was an interesting conversation as even the guys were explaining that terrible hip pain keeps you from moving and enjoying anything but sitting in a chair with pain killers. She got the biggest kick out of listening to us "older folk" talking about sex and how we were all going to have a "ball that summer with our new BHR hips when we all got better"  In fact, we had a toast to a great sexy summer with wonderful Belgium Beer!  We had such a great time in Belgium.  Put a bunch of surface hippies together in a Belgium Lounge with Beer - and there is nothing but fun and friendship.  I think that's why we all did so well, it was the great attitude we had and the wonderful support we all gave each other for the days after surgery.

I guess I better go back to hip resurfacing for now!

Pat