Looking for a dr to do bmr if I am a canditate in Ontario

[feartheride]

Thanks to this site and the info I have found through I am feeling better about possibly getting a BMR instead of a THR

   I have leg perthes and have been told by a Toronto dr. that Total hip replacement is all they do at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto. When I brought up a BMR, he scoffed at the idea and until I found this site, I didn't know much about a BMR or it's advantages..
 As I am only 48 and active until this year until the pain slowed me down tremendously..

 I am looking for Dr.'s in my area whom I would be able to see, if not may have to look at going elsewhere..
  There is on local Dr. that I know of that does bmr's and that is Dr.Martin. I still need to find out more about him..

I would like to send my x rays to these Dr's for there opinion,
 Dr. Gross (South Carolina), Dr. Bose (India), and Dr. Stachniw (Illinois)

 Does anyone have the contacts for these Dr's.. I have not searched as of yet

Thanks for the help
   Cheers
 

[Pat Walter]

Hi

Here is the list of the top hip resurfacing surgeons so you can get their contact info

http://www.surfacehippy.info/listofdoctors.php

There are not many surgeons in Canada still doing hip resurfacing.  Dr. Antoniou is one of the more experienced.

Pat

[feartheride]

Thank You

 

[Torontogirl]

Hi

I found myself in a similar predicament as you-living in Toronto, and sent my X-rays to Dr. De Smet in Belgium. He responded very quickly and I had  bi-lateral resurfacing done in July there. I am now 4 months post -op and doing great! I could not locate any really experienced surgeons with resurfacing here in Ontario- I would really suggest  getting the most experienced possible for your surgery! It's worth travelling further for good results!!!

[feartheride]

Thanks for the input toronto girl..
  Did our ohip cover any of the costs or is it all out of pocket.. I will have to check with my coverage through work also.

[Jason0411]

I had Perthes as a child in both legs. McMinn did not hesitate to do a BHR so don't let the surgeons fob you off because of Perthes. Depending on how knackered your head is will depend on whether you would get a BHR or a BMHR but McMinn does a lot of overseas patients.

Jas

[Torontogirl]

Featheride,

OHIP would only consider covering any cost if it was life threatening surgery and not possible to get here in Ontario-but I would check about going out of Province i.e Quebec-there might be some reciprocity. Pat mentioned Dr. Antoniou and I believe I read somewhere he had a private clinic in Montreal, someone posted here a while ago that the hospital, where he operates was not accepting any out of province patients. You also might want to check the Drs. in Ottawa who do hip resurfacing-they should be on this website-but I believe there is a long waitlist to get in-at least a year!

[Pat Walter]

Hi
I just wanted to say that I feel needing a new hip is life threatening.  You have come to the point that you require heavy meds to try to stay out of pain, but long term they won't work.  You are now sitting in a chair instead of being active which is not good for your health.  Also you are no longer participating in all the activities that your family and friends are doing, so it is very depressing for many.  So just based on those thoughts - I feel it is life threatening.  We have been given bodies to be active and happy, when this stops, we need a solution if possible.

About paying for your surgery.  I did not have health insurance in the US in 2005/2006.  So I could only get a free small ball THR or pay to go to Belgium to get a BHR from Dr. De Smet.  I was not going to settle for an old fashioned THR that would keep me from being active.  I gathered up my credit cards and went to Belgium.  It cost my ex and I a total of $18,000 for trip, plane, hotel and all medical costs.  To me it was the best investment I could have made - better than a house, a car, a boat, a vacation, etc    I decided to take my life in my own hands and pay for a hip resurfacing.  It was the best investment I have ever made.  It affects everything about my life and allows me to be active again.  Being active, health and happy means you can go back to work and get your debt paid off.  You can't even buy a new car for the price of a new BHR.  Keep things in perspective when it comes to spending money or getting a loan for a hip resurfacing.  It is life threatening since it impacts every part of your life.

People have gone to Dr. Bose of India for about $10,000 for travel, hotel and medical costs.  There are ways to get your hip resurfacing if you can borrow or have some money.

Pat

[feartheride]

I don't think I would have a problem paying for surgery elswhere if I thought it was better if done elsewhere..
 Dr. David Martin here in St.Catharines does bionet hip resurfacing and I saw him brievly 2 days ago re. a tear in my L4 disc and asked him about my hips ,brievly, follow up app coming..
he said he has done approx. 100 hip resurfaces,around 20 per year...
 What do we know about the bionet compared to the BHR..
 I am just sterting to research it..

[Dannywayoflife]

Personally I wouldn't let a surgeon who does 20 a year anywhere near me. With those figures it would take a long long time to be come really top class.
There's not enough data on the biomet to make a real comparison to the BHR as yet in my opinion. 

[phillwad]

I had great success with Dr Brooks in Cleveland - close to Toronto. 

[Rosie90]

Hi, I am from Hamilton.  Dr. Victoria Avram gave me a resurfacing on my right hip, but they are no longer doing resurfacings.  I was given the recommendation of Dr. Christine Young, in Scarborough and now have an appointment with her in about 3 months, for my left hip.  Her name is on the list of Drs. doing resurfacings.

[feartheride]

Well it seems that resurfacing is out for me.  I sent my x rays to Dr.Koen De Smet and got this reply
Hi Paul,
your condition is very clear!
You have a bilateral Legg Calvé Perthes disease.
You are certainly NOT a candidate for resurfacing. You are in need of uni or bilateral total hip with large head ceramic on ceramic!
Not easy to do, but for an experienced surgeon should not be any problem, there should not be too much leglengthening!!!

UNILATERAL is one side.
I understand that you have only problems with right side right now.
It is clear there is only one good approach that is a posterolateral approach. I have done all approaches, for your condition posterolateral is only good one.
For the left side it should be short stem (take care of version!!, so maybe to change exchangeable neck) or need for use of a Wagnercone stem; if you are used to do these cases every week, you know what to do.
with kind regards
KOEN


Not good news but need to move on and find a good surgeon in Ontario to do the thr and if I can't find someone I am comfortable with I will  look elswhere

 So at this point I am looking for help to find a surgeon in Ontario who I feel comfortable doing this