Andrew Lloyd Webber Has Hip Resurfacing

[Pat Walter]

An interesting article from today's news:

January 20, 2012

...Andrew Lloyd Webber feels like a young man once again after undergoing hip replacement surgery.

The multi-millionaire composer has revealed he underwent the procedure a few weeks ago and has made a full recovery.

Lord Lloyd-Webber, 63, said: "I feel so much better. The best thing is that now I can exercise again, I can go swimming, which I love."

...Lord Lloyd-Webber had a hip resurfacing, which replaces diseased or damaged surfaces in the hip joint with metal implants.

It is designed to tackle arthritis - where joint cartilage is worn away, leaving bone rubbing on bone, which causes severe pain.

Less bone is removed for hip resurfacing, making it easier to repeat the operation or to have a total hip replacement in later years...

[Dannywayoflife]

thats interesting! I wonder which surgeon he used?

[Neild5]

It is good to see an article that puts a positive light on HR.

[Dannywayoflife]

Isn't it! We don't get to hear the high profile success stories just the minority of failures that other uninformed people think are the rule rather than the exception! I've had medical professionals say they wouldn't have a resurfacing thanks to all the failures. But then when I've asked them to explain they pretty much always repeat untruths or things that were issues with the asr not well designed devices.   

[manyworries]

SUPER NEWS!!   We need to have all orthos trained in resurfacing.... SOON!!

[Dannywayoflife]

I don't think the vast majority of ortho surgeons have the skill to do resurfacing. I think the world is better just having top quality surgeons who can do the job properly rather than sheer number of surgeons who will do the job half assed.
I think that's why the retention figure dropped from something like 98% to 96% when US surgeons started carrying out the op. It's a really technically demanding procedure.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Manyworries

We will never got all orthopedics trained in hip resurfacing because it is a very, very difficult surgery compared to a THR.  I attend hip resurfaicng courses every year and the one main topic that is always discussed by the experienced surgeons is that a surgeon should be doing a lot of resurfacings and often to be on top of the game.  They suggest if there is a group of orthopedics, that only one surgeon will do all the resurfacings so they get experienced and do them often. 

The problem now is that many less experienced surgeons had a lot of problems and revisions.  This resulted in hip resurfacing getting a bad name and a lot of negative press.  So the goal will never to train all orthopedic surgeons how to do resurfacing, but it would be nice if they were educated to know what a great option it is and at least tell patients about them.  When orthopedics can't do them, the problem is they prefer not to tell patients about the options because they want to perform a THR.

So the medical community will not all be trained how to do resurfacings, but it would be nice if there were at least aware of the great outcomes according to the National Registries. Currently the BHR has a retention rate of 96% and that is a great track record.

Pat