Choosing a surgeon

[Left hip shot]

Hi. I've been researching hip resurfacing for approx. 4 yrs. I suffered from Leg Perthies( I think this is the correct spelling ) also known as Perthies Hip as a child & this has resulted in a partial deformity in my left hip. Now at the age of 52 I'm starting to experience the effects of arthritis. I've been physically active my whole life both in business & athletically & would like to remain so. Lately the hip is locking up, mostly when standing from a seated position or at night when I'm sleeping. At this point things are still somewhat tolerable but my left leg is becoming increasingly weaker along with a noticeable loss of range of motion. I have three kids ranging in ages from 7 - 14, all of which are very active. According to all the info I've collected to date, it seems I'd be crazy to put off resurfacing any longer. I guess one thing that's kept me from taking the plunge is the hope of something knew & radical that would offer a better or alternative approach. I've been to my share of surgeons in the states & am entirely convinced that at this point, there is clearly not enough experience to feel comfortable with any of them. At least with my specific situation ( deformity of the femoral head ). The surgeon I've had the most interest in is Dr. DeSmet. So far he has been unbelievably helpful in answering my questions via email. I even had the chance to talk to him on the phone when he called me & we spoke for close to an hour. What surgeon in their right mind would do that in the US? Anyhow, after reading many of the stories out there I've discovered that there is an equal amount of interest in both Dr. Bose & Dr. McMinn. Does anyone have any comments regarding a  reason to consider either of these two in place of Dr DeSmet? Or for that matter any other surgeons to check out?  I'd appreciate any & all info beneficial to my situation. Thanks much. Willie.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Willie

After 4 years of research, I think you are heading in the right direction considering De Smet, Bose or McMinn.  The more complicated your hip problem, the more you need to be using one of the best in the world for surgery.

I am a De Smet Hippy and can't say enough good about him and his staff.  I did not have health insurance and could not afford surgery in the US.  Even if I had insurance, I would still have wnated to go to De Smet.  I was 61, a female and had a loss of bone density - I wanted one of the best.

I choose De Smet because I did not want to fly for 28 hours to India.  I don't like to fly and felt the Belgium experience would be better for me than the India Experience.  I did talk with Dr. Bose and would have no problem using him. He is one of the best and I know many people that have gone to him.  He is a real favorite amoung the athletes.

The nice part about De Smet is his great team and the rehab at the Villa.  I was there 2 years ago and rehabbed at the Holiday Inn. It was great, but I understand the Villa is absolutely wonderful both for the staff and the food.  I like the fact that De Smet gets you in the pool for therapy very quickly.  I would go back to him if I ever needed a revision or another hip.

I was with 8 other hippies and we all had the same recovery during our 9 day stay post op.  We were all on 1 crutch at 4 days and out sight seeing by about day 5 post op.  I was a little slower than the younger folks.  I have noticed over the years of reading hundreds of hip stories, that the people going to the more experienced surgeons seem to, normally, have an easier and quicker recovery.  I had no brusing or swelling and neither did the 8 I was with.  My friend did finally have swelling after we went sight seeing and she walked to much.  None of us took heavy pain meds after leaving the hospital.  I used Advil for the incision discomfort and mucles sorness.  No codene type meds or vicoden, etc.  It was not needed. I was off my crutch at 4 weeks and have had a quick and easy recovery.

People with more advanced and complicated problems, sometimes have slower recoveries.  On the whole, I have observed De Smet hippies and Bose hippies do very well.  The US doctors are generally much more conservative in their recovery protocol.  They just don't have the experience of a De Smet - over 3000 hip resurfacings and over 3000 Thrs.

I don't know if Mr. McMinn has the same type of set up as De Smet.  I know he certainly is one of the best, but that is all I can tell you.  I have a handful of McMinn stories on the website, but they are mostly for the BMHR.

Mr. Treacy is another very experperineced UK surgeon with over 4000 Hip resurfacings and I have several people give me their stories with him.http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipstories.php#Dr.%20Treacy

If you want more info about Dr. Bose, Vicky Marlow who helps me with info on the website can talk to you either by email or phone. She went to Dr. Bose and has a pretty close talking relationship with him. She would not go to anyone else by Dr. Bose

Personally I don't know if I would consider many of the US surgeons other than maybe Dr. Gross of SC or Amstutz of CA. 

I really like the overseas doctors.  I like the way you can talk to them at any time and they always answer your questions.  Dr. De Smet is a very talented surgeon and a kind and compasionate person.  I can't say enough good things about him.

I have been reading and learning for 3 years and building the website almost that long.  I always point people with difficult problems to De Smet, Bose, Gross or McMinn or Treacy. 

There are very detailed stories from patients of all those doctors on my website http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipstories.php  I red every story I could find before I choose Dr. De Smet.

I think you might want to talk to Dr. Bose via email or phone.  His english is very good and his written communication excellent.  He is friends with De Smet and they both understand people are going to consider more than one surgeon - then make a choice.

My list  http://www.surfacehippy.info/listofdoctors.php gives the doctors stats.  THere are a handful of surgeons with over 1000 hip resurfacings listed.

After you have talked with Bose and whoever else you choose - Gross, Amstutz, McMinn, Treacy - you will have a feeling for who you want to go to.  Listen to your own feelings and you will make the right choice.

Please let me know what other information I can help you with.  Both Vicky and I are available to help.

Pat in Ohio - Owner/Webmaster of the Surface Hippy Website
3/15/06 LBHR De Smet

[drmike-s]

Hi Willie,

Dr. de Smet is SUPERB! There is no better surgeon out there. The only hip surgeons who compare to him are Drs. McMinn & Treacy in England.  De Smet did my Rt. hip about 4 years ago my total experience from start to finish was wonderful.

Mike Sulman

[xocy]

Well drmike, that doesn't leave the rest of us in very good hands. And all along I thought Dr. Gross was suppose to be really good.

[Pat Walter]

Hi xocy

All of us De Smet hippies think the world of him and we know he is one of the best in the world.

There are however, some really good surgeons in the US.  Dr. Gross is one of them with over 1300 resurfacings. 

Some of the newer BHR doctors are starting to get a lot of experience too. Dr. Su in NY is over 500 and Dr. Clarke of NY is over 500. 

It seems like once you have traveled to De Smet or to Bose in India, you just would not go anywhere else.  Hard to understand for people with insurance that want to stay in the US, but back when we were getting our hips resurfaced there was not as much choice.  The BHR was not FDA approved here.

Traveling is not really as frightening as it sounds.  When you talk to lots of people that have gone before you, you feel like you have already been there.

I just wanted to explain how many of us feel about the overseas doctors.  Almost anyone with a sucessful hip resurfacing really thinks that their doctor is the best since they gave them your life back.

Pat

[xocy]

I agree, the best doctor in the world (in the opinion of the patient) is the one that has operated on them sucessfully. I try to temper my enthusiam so as not to discourge someone using another physician. Hopefully, for all of us, we will never have to truely compare surgeons!