bilateral hips resurfaced in India

[baxter]

Pat, I took your advice and emailed Dr. Vijay Bose about my pain in my right hip.
    Dr. Bose returned my email the next day. Due to the time period in which my
hips were done, (six months) there is the possibility of Global AVN. He told me that my xrays
show no sign of loosening. His advise was to have x-rays done again in three months
and compare them with the others.
  I have increased pain in my right hip and I am using my cane again. My hip aspiration
came back negative after six weeks of waiting. Now I will be having blood work done for
sedimentation rate. If it is high, perhaps I will need to see an infectious control Dr. My
hip resurfacing has not been an easy journey.
  If it turns out that I need hip revision, I will have to decide on India or here. The thought
of going through surgery for a THR, leaves me feeling empty. I need to focus on one day at
time. I could use an injection of " Attitude of Graditude". A positive attitude helped me while
in India, perhaps this will help me now.

Thank you for listening,  Gary

[Pat Walter]

Hi Gary

I think the whole group will be glad to listen and try to offer support.  It is always sad to hear about someone having hip resurfacing and then having problems.

I can understand how badly you feel.  If you had to have a revision to a MOM THR, you will still be able to be just as active as with the hip resurfacing. Dr. De SMet does not limit his MOM patients.

I think you know that there have been several people that had metal allergies to their hip resurfacing.  Dr. De Smet feels that it is happening more often than doctors realize.  I have several stories about the allergies posted here  http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipresurfacingproblems.php

I hope you can find  a solution to your problem without a revision. 

Dr. Bose is one of the best in the world and will offer you very good advice.  You could also write to Dr. De Smet.  He has done over 3000 hip resurfacings and does a lot of revisions for people with problems. It would only take an email to him with your x-rays attached.  HE is very understanding about people with problems after hip resurfacing.  That way you could get inut from 2 really experienced surgeons.

If you do end up with a revision, I would try to use one of the most experience surgeons here in the US if possible.

Please keep in touch.  We are all here to listen.

Pat

[baxter]

As always thank you Pat for responding to my email.
I never considered the possibility of allergies to the metal. I will read your site for those who
have had allergies. Having your web site gives comfort. I no longer feel alone in my quest
for successful hip surgery.
  Dr Bose comment for further blood work, "more than isolated value, it is the trend on the inflamatory
indices to have both CRP and ESR repeated." I will do this today or tomorrow.
  My roommate/friend who is a hospice nurse, does not want me to travel to India again. I think she was
very concerned for my well being. I will as it is said, " cross that bridge when it comes." Something like that.
  I would welcome any input from others that would be interested in knowing more about my experience
with traveling to India and or my current experience in dealing with the possibility of hip failure. It is
important in my opinion to hear both positive and perhaps negative experiences with hip resurfacing.
I am not blaming the Doctor for my current condition, it is my responcibility to take care of what may
come up during my healing process. When I decided to go to Dr. Bala in Coimbatore In India, I read only
success stories. It would have been helpful in my decision to have had this site inorder to explore other options.
  I look forward to hear from others on the web site. Thank you Pat

Blessings,  Gary 

[Pat Walter]

Gary

If you want to write an expanded story - pro or con about your trip and surgery - I will be happy to post it.  If you want to up date it, I am happy to do that.

It would be nice to have the full story posted after you find out what is wrong and how it will be corrected.

Unfortunatly, there is the 96% survival rate now and someone has to be the 4 out of 100 people with problems.  We all dearly hope it won't be us, but unfortunatly someone has to be the statistic.

I am very sorry that it might be you.  You are right that Dr. Bala seems to have had a lot of happy patients.

I guess you will have to wait and see.  Hopefully, there is a solution for you.  If you actually had a metal allergy like several of De Smets patients, they were all revised to ceramic on ceramic THRs that had titanium stems.  Titanium does not seem to cause metal allergies.  The ceramic on ceramic THRs used overseas are different than the US ones.  They have large ball sizes than the US versions.  Dr. De Smet often chooses the ceramic on ceramic instead of a MOM for his patients.

Here are a few articles about the metal allergies  http://www.surfacehippy.info/metalallergyinformation.php  Dr. De Smet and Pat Campbell think it is a much greater problem than most hip resurfacing surgeons do.

Pat

[baxter]

Hello Pat,
  Yes I would like to write an expanded story of my trip to india and my surgical experience.
First I will wait to see which direction I go with my right hip pain/stiffness. Dr. Bose suggested
that I get my CPR and ESR tested in my blood draw. I took care of this today. The results will
be ready tomorrow or next Monday. I am going to send the results to Dr. Bose and my Doctor
here in SB Ca.
  Where would I write my story? Which section of the web site do I use? I attempted to write
you at your email address, and was not able to send it out.
  I don't believe I have a metal allergy, due to the fact that my left hip is perfectly fine. Not
a very scientific diagnoisis. Any way, I did read the artical's, thank you.
  Dr. Bose's explanation,Global AVN, sounds like a good possibility. Perhaps wait and see, I am not
real good at waiting.
  I will keep you updated.

 Gary 
         

[Pat Walter]

Hi Gary

I don't know why you could not email me - but here is my email address

pwalter@surfacehippy.info

If you send me your story when you decide to write it, I will post it under the Hip Stories page  http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipstories.php  If it turns out to be a revision for some reason, I would post it on the Hip Problems pages for others to learn from  http://www.surfacehippy.info/hipresurfacingproblems.php

It is up to you.  I am always happy to post stories for people with updates, photos and or videos.  Sometimes I don't do it immediately, but try to get them posted in a timely manner.

Good Luck.

Pat

[baxter]

Hi Pat, for reasons I don't understand, I am not able to email you on your address.
here is my last email from Dr. Bose, after I gave him my blood work work.

Dear Mr. Baxter,

Thanks for the update. Please continue to keep me updated with further developments.

One factor that you have to consider is the issue , that should it turn out to be infection . Then revsion surgery has to be staged. The first one is to remove the implants – give IV antibiotics for few weeks and then do a re-implantation when the ESR and CRP returns to normal. The sheer logistics of this undertaking makes it a big advantage for you to get it done locally.

 

With best regards

Vijay bose

chennai

  Well Pat the plot thickens. I will be seeing an infectious control Dr. hopefully very soon. If an operation
is indicated, I will need to navigated the medical system. The greatest difficult will be the financial.

Thank you for your support, Gary

[Pat Walter]

Hi Gary

I sent you a different email address to try via your personal email.

I really hope that you don't have an infection.  That would be terrible to have them remove the hip resurfacing.  You normally are without a hip until they get the infection under control.

The infections can be very serious.  It took this lady 5 years to get her MRSA infection under control  http://www.hipsforyou.com/5yearsnohip.php


This poor lady tried 3 thrs and still couldn't keep one.  http://www.hipsforyou.com/hipstories/zoramarshall.php

Let's hope you will have much better luck than these two.  I didn't post the stories to frighten you - but to let you know many people do have a lot of problems with hip replacement.  Most don't, but there are always a few and we hope we are not among the problem hips.

Pat