Gross v. Brooks

[wendell]

I am narrowing down my selection of a doctor.

Any advice? Positive advice please. No need to trash anyone.

I am leaning, because I have a bad hip , toward one of them, but am interested in your hippy advice.

If insurance paid for one and not the other, would that swing your vote?

Do they use the same procedure?

Thanks,
Wendell

[Miguelito]

Ouch! I just wrote up a long reply and it got erased because I popped in Dr. Gross's website!

Anyway...

Wendell,

As I am the only other person still awake (in this hemisphere) just wanted to weigh in.

Everything I have read about Dr. Brooks gave me great confidence in him. Just the things he said gave me great faith in his integrity and he is one of the six or eight guys in this country who are the acknowledged go-to guys. If I hadn't zeroed in on Dr. Gross early he would have been my next choice.

Dr. Gross operated on me two weeks ago and I consider myself lucky to live in the country we do, at the time we do, and have the insurance that I do that allowed me to avail myself of his services. Everything about him and his practice just exudes competence and confidence. His practice is transparent by design (check out his website). Yes that simplifies his life, but its main purpose is to help people like you (and me) in making our decisions.

And yes, insurance would have made the decision for me between those two doctors. We all have different financial situations, but $5,000 in a 529 plan right now might mean (most of) a year in college for my (now) two year-old. But I only say this because I would have willingly gone to either of those two doctors.

Lastly, I know that Dr. Gross use the Biomet Magnum acetabular component (uncemented) and the Recap uncemented femoral component.

Good luck in your decision!

Mike

[Dan L]

My experience with Dr. Brooks has been extremely positive, he uses the BHR device.  He closely follows the protocol of Treacy and McMinn, with whom he trained, including the post operative exercises and restrictions going out for one year, 75% weight bearing/crutches for 6 weeks, and no running, strengthening or high impact for 12 months.  Year one is for ROM only.  The care at the Cleveland Clinic was incredible as well.

Both of my incisions look like long scratches, are incredibly thin lines; I offer that not as a cosmetic benefit, but to exemplify his surgical skill.

If you are one of the high horsepower people who want to run and do high impact things before a year, he's probably not the guy for you, he's had extremely few adverse complications in over 1300 done (see his interview on this site from spring of 2011 with Pat), and he is very adamant about people following the program, and not putting themselves in risk of a revision surgery.  He explains in great detail the history, pros and cons of various approaches (THR vs BHR) and will show you, on your x-rays, what a THR revision would involve, and a revision of a revision, so he explains in graphic detial why you would not want to screw around not following the post-op restrictions, which was very scary and helpful.

I've met a couple world-class medical people in my life, he's completely world class in all aspects.   He's also a no BS kind of guy, and will tell you like it is.

I do not know Dr Gross, so I can't comment.

Thanks

[obxpelican]

Dr. Gross would be my choice, talk to anyone who has had him as his surgeon.  Talk to people about the support staff, the hospital.  It's a no brainer.  Dr. Gross helped develop the device he uses and his results have been fantastic. 

Other than a chosen few, say Dr. Su and a few others there are very few surgeons who even come close to the skills of Dr. Gross.  Included with Dr. Gross great numbers are many many problem cases that he willingly takes on. 

I'm not saying that you would have any issues with Brooks, but I think Dr. Gross is clearly one of the tops in his field.


Chuck

I am narrowing down my selection of a doctor.

Any advice? Positive advice please. No need to trash anyone.

I am leaning, because I have a bad hip , toward one of them, but am interested in your hippy advice.

If insurance paid for one and not the other, would that swing your vote?

Do they use the same procedure?

Thanks,
Wendell

[jb46]

Dr. Gross did my right hip yesterday, and if I ever need the other one done, he will do that as well.
I don't know Brooks, but Gross, his facility, his staff, the hospital staff, was incredible.

When I was doing my research, I looked for negatives on him and couldn't find any....even someone who had complications didn't sayh anything negative about him.

I just left his hospital yesterday, 5 patients, ALL from out of state. I'd say people coming from Montana and upstate New York is a pretty good indicator of his compatency level...good luck. No matter who you use, I hope it goes well....jb

[fenceman]

Dr. Gross has a strong right hook but I like Dr. Brooks quick jab.

Besides Dr. Brooks has Phil.

[Miguelito]

That was pretty funny. Is Dr. Gross a lefty though? He might be, I forget. He is, however, somewhat imposing in person. Not having met Dr. Brooks I might still give Dr. Gross the edge in the ring...

[Pat Walter]

The skill levels for both are very high.  The choice between the two comes down to
1. Type of device - Brooks uses the BHR and Gross the Biomet
2. Uncemented or cemented - Brooks uses cemented BHR with the longest track record of any device while Gross uses the uncemented Biomet which I think he has now placed 1000+. You need to ask the numbers. Here is a lot of info about Gross http://www.surfacehippy.info/doctorinterviews/grossinterview.php
3. Surgical approach - Brooks uses the anterolateral while Gross uses the posterior with a smaller incision.

So it really comes down to which device you want and whether you want cemented or uncemented.  I think the skills for both are excellent.

Pat

[phillwad]

You have two excellent people - it will be interesting if you can find someone who has used both!!!

Dr Brooks did both of mine last year, 5 months apart.  Like others have said - he is very very knowledgeable, no BS and has a conservative recovery plan.

Why did I choose him?  I live in Cleveland, the Cleveland Clinic is a provider for my insurance; and he came recommended by two people I trust.  My wife commented today that my scare from the first BHR, March 2011, has almost disappeared - it is amazing.  The other one, Aug 2012, is still a little red - I will give it time.

I am sitting here with my legs crossed, something I could not do before my surgery, waiting to go to the gym to do some exercises thinking "yes it was worth it - really was"

[Aerial]

My choice was easy.  I live in Columbia, SC and after researching hip resurfacing I was thrilled to find Dr. Gross right around the corner from me.  I am happily 5 months out of surgey and thrilled with the results.  The worst part was worrying about the surgery which after you go through it you wonder why you spent so much time worrying!  They take good care of you.  Yes, they have the system down and just sort of take you through very defined steps.  That would be my only very minor complaint is they sort of just shuffle through so many HR patients it does not feel real personalized.  Dr. Gross did spend a lot of time with me in my pre-op appointment but I never saw him in the hospital before the surgery. Saw him for about 2 minutes in my room the day after surgery.  I also did not see him at my 6 weeks appointment.  I guess this isn't that important as long as the result is good but it just seems a bit weird.  I would still highly recommend him, he is clearly competent, research based and very intelligent......plus the best testimony is I went from horrible hip pain last fall to no hip pain post-op 

[fenceman]

Now seriously,

Both are excellent Doctors but I would also take travel distance and time into account.  I only had an hour car ride from the hospital and felt nauseous from the pain meds.  I was glad I did not have to go through the airport and fly home.