One step closer.

[triathlete98]

So I went to see a specialist who did Bo Jacksons hip replacement in Chicago. He has done a few BHR so I thought i'd try my lucks.  He was nice enough and said I was a complex patient.  I do not have the tell tale signs of athritus, however I do have torn/missing cartiledge which the almost treat exactly as arthritus.  Having looked at the Xray, he stated I appeared that I had cartiledge left so he understands why Della Valle, out of Midwest Orthopedics said he would not do a BHR.  However, he also said it wasn't a Hard NO.  He sent me to a specialist who does hip preservation?  Dr. LaRue, out of Hinsdale Othropedics is who he refered me to.  I am having a Dgemric MRI done.  Anyone have that done?  I am going to take my most recent xray and the mri and send it to dr. gross in SC.   

[Dannywayoflife]

I ain't no doctor but surely loss/missing cartilage are signs of arthritis?. When I had my hip scope done in October last year I'd had an MRI which showed a labrel tear and signs of early arthritis(which to be fair with the occupations I've had and tge training ive done was not too suprising) the doc when he saw my MRI sent me for xray's and they just backed up what tge MRI had said. "very early signs" of arthritis. But when he got inside the joint he discovered I was grade 4 osteoarthritis which means severe degeneration and arthritic change and holes in the cartelage of more than 1.5cm down to the bone.
He was genuinely as shocked as I was. I've heard on several occasions that scans and xrays don't always tell the full story so I'd get several opinions.
Also didn't bo jacksons thr fail after a year?
Get your scans&xrays sent to guys like Bose,de smet,gross and Su. I belive they will give you an opinion based from your scans etc.
Have you had any conservative treatment such as a hip scope?
All the best Danny

[triathlete98]

I have had three hip scopes.  Two debritments, a microfracture, and a cartildege transplant.  all on the right hip.

[Woodstock Hippy]

Keep on pluggin!  Some times you just have to keep trying to get what you need done

[Dannywayoflife]

Well I'd defiantly say get your scans and xrays sent off to the docs I mentioned then mate. I would have thought that all of that conservative treatment has just been postponing the inevitable. See what top guys say. I was told by a surgeon over here that I was no where near bad enough yet I was bone on bone in places couldn't dress myself or tie my own laces etc. I sent my xrays along with my scope report to de smet,Bose and gross. 3of the top surgeons they all said the same thing now is a good time.
That is what I did and would advise you go do also even if you don't intend using any of those surgeons just get there opinion.
Danny   

[triathlete98]

oh no...if dr. Gross so its a go then I am so there.  I was rather shocked thought, the last Dr. said that the BHR would not allow me to resume running and doing ironman triathlons?  Anyone had their Dr. tell them something similar?

[Dan L]

As you will find reading many posts here from physicians and patients, and from a visit to a good surgeon, the hip resurfacing is far and away the superior solution for those who are active, and wish to remain so after the surgery (versus hip replacement for example). 

If a Dr is saying you can't be as active again afterwards, the physician seems uninformed in my opinion.  Read lots of posts here and you'll see what I mean.

I've learned

1) HR conserves the most bone
2) Stress and loading after HR is most closely aligned to your natural loading on a normal hip because the size and shape of the resurfaced ball and socket are as similar as possible to what you had before, and the biomechanics of the upper femur are mostly preserved.
3) A replacement drastically changess the geometry of your hip, and loads are placed elsewhere and bone growth stops in the areas where it would occur naturally; the ball is much smaller, and many are metal on plastic and often wear out relatively fast

Hope it helps

[triathlete98]

As you will find reading many posts here from physicians and patients, and from a visit to a good surgeon, the hip resurfacing is far and away the superior solution for those who are active, and wish to remain so after the surgery (versus hip replacement for example). 

If a Dr is saying you can't be as active again afterwards, the physician seems uninformed in my opinion.  Read lots of posts here and you'll see what I mean.

I've learned

1) HR conserves the most bone
2) Stress and loading after HR is most closely aligned to your natural loading on a normal hip because the size and shape of the resurfaced ball and socket are as similar as possible to what you had before, and the biomechanics of the upper femur are mostly preserved.
3) A replacement drastically changess the geometry of your hip, and loads are placed elsewhere and bone growth stops in the areas where it would occur naturally; the ball is much smaller, and many are metal on plastic and often wear out relatively fast

Hope it helps

see then why are the surgeons in Chicago so hesitant to do surgery?  I asked the Dr. if i wasn't a candadite for the BHR and i am in pain then what is the treatment options??? he didn't  have an answer which i kinda figured. 

[Woodstock Hippy]

T98, you really should rethink your future racing.  You are a young guy and you've already worn out your original equipement.  These new parts don't come with any warrentee either.  There are lot's of challenging ways to stay in the sport  without dreaming of that long slow shuffle on the Queen K.

[triathlete98]

T98, you really should rethink your future racing.  You are a young guy and you've already worn out your original equipement.  These new parts don't come with any warrentee either.  There are lot's of challenging ways to stay in the sport  without dreaming of that long slow shuffle on the Queen K.

I just want to do it once.  Then i'll hang it up.

[hernanu]

I'd follow your plan and contact Dr. Gross and the others. You need better information, and these are the people who can give it to you.

[Woodstock Hippy]

''I just want to do it once.  Then i'll hang it up.''

I know that feeling.  I've been wanting to do American Zofingan since McGovern started it 5 or 6 years ago in New Paltz, NY, but my body has been letting me down.  I still think I have a shot for short course in 2013 at 63 years old.  It's one of those carrots that will be hanging out in front of me for this whole rehab.

Just be careful, OK.  There is plenty of endurance racing life after Ironman.

[triathlete98]

I agree...but just once, one more try and that'll be it.

[Woodstock Hippy]

I'll be cheering for you!

[jjmclain]

Triathlete98,

I too am a triathlete, one year post-op Left BHR. I am back running and plan to resume racing next season. My surgeon had said I could compete at the end of this past season in shorter distances like olympic distance (which I did not do, because I was being conservative and life got in the way), but to wait until next season for half and full ironmans. Find a competent surgeon and you too will be back running and racing ironmans. I am running pain-free and am looking forward to competing again in 2012.

June

[hernanu]

June, that's great - I wondered how your training was going.

[triathlete98]

June...music to my ears.  I am just getting good at the stuff and bought a 2012 P3 that I need to be rocking soon!

[Dan L]

see then why are the surgeons in Chicago so hesitant to do surgery?  I asked the Dr. if i wasn't a candadite for the BHR and i am in pain then what is the treatment options??? he didn't  have an answer which i kinda figured.
[/quote]

You are about a 1 hr flight, 6 hour drive from a great surgeon with very, very low rate of adverse complications at Cleveland Clinic Euclid Hospital, Dr. Peter Brooks.  He will spend time with you explaining and showing the devices, options and pros/cons of various approaches to resolving hip issues.  He has done more than 1100 BHR's, and is part of a team there that takes extraordinary care of hip patients.  Seach for his name in the hip talk boards, and hip stories here on the site, you will read many success stories.

[mslendzion]

I was advised the BHR would allow me to do all the activies I used to do, skiing, swimming, skating, etc..  This is the choice for people that want to stay active and are younger.   Also, if the HR wears out, having a HR to THR is a much easier surgery then would be from a THR to THR.  I was told by the first surgen I went to that I should expect to get a 2nd replacement in about 15 years.  I really hope the BHR lasts longer since longevity stats have not hit the 15 year mark... yet! 

[mountaingoat]

Triathlete - definitely talk with Dr. Gross. He has worked with a lot of younger patients who had previous hip scopes and he doesn't have a hard and fast rule on how much joint space narrowing there needs to be before he will resurface. He will be very honest with you if for some reason he doesn't think you are a candidate (which I am sure you are by the way). If you've had microfracture and are now in pain again, he thinks that is reason enough (provided you meet his other requirements).