5 weeks away and I am freaking out

[johns567]

Several people have sent me information regarding class action lawsuits and metal/metal ion problems with hip resurfacing products. My doctor told me there are no concerns but I am a little concerned.
Are there any specific products to avoid?
Are the metal ions a concern?

Any experienced feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[chuckm]

John, go to the surface hippy home page. On the left going down is a tab just for metal ion issues with resurfacing. Your doctor is right that you should not be concerned.
Chuckm

[Arrojo]

Unless you are getting implanted by one of the recalled devices (which is impossible as far as I know) why should you be concerned?  It's like going shopping for a new Ford pickup truck and being told by 'several people' that Toyotas have been recalled and there are class action lawsuits involving those specific models and therefore you should not buy any cars and trucks.

[hernanu]

Hey John,

Metallosis is a serious problem for those of us who have gotten it. The incidence is low, but that doesn't matter to those of us who have had to deal with it.

Having said that, the incidence is very low. The best data that we have comes from the Australian registries, which have been keeping track of problems with hip implants of all types for the last thirteen to fifteen years.

They have the largest data for the procedure and its results. What they have found is that over the span of ten years, the rate of failure for all hip resurfacing was about 8 or 9 percent for all reasons.

That includes all patients, responsible in their recuperation and not, suitable and not. It includes all surgeons, experienced and effective and not. It also includes all devices, those that are highly successful and those that were recalled over that time.

As Arrojo points out, those are not in play any more, and even those had a success rate in the 60-80+ % rate, just not as high as the average.

So you are looking at a high success rate surgery. That does not take away from the fact that some of our hippies have had to deal with metallosis. That is always very sad, but there is a good alternative in that case, revision to a THR which is also a successful device.

The failure rate for metallosis is about 16% of all failures. The largest reasons for failure is not metallosis, but femoral neck breaks and device slips (the bone doesn't grow into the device correctly, so it doesn't "hold" correctly). 

If 8% fail over the span of 10 years, then 8 * 0.16 = 1.28% of all HRs fail over the span of 10 years due to metallosis.

Metallosis seems to be best avoided (not in all cases, but seemingly most) by choosing an experienced surgeon. The placement of the device seems to be key in avoiding this.

The failure rates of very good surgeons are nowhere near the 8% quoted, so you may want to ask your prospective surgeon his or her stats for revision and cause of revision.

There are no guarantees, as some of our hippies have found, but the odds are in your favor heavily.

Just my opinion, and it does not take away from the problem itself, as low as its incidence may be.

[johns567]

Thanks for the information.

[hernanu]

You're welcome, John.

I know how hard this time is, to face this procedure. We all faced this at one time or another. It's not natural or timely. It's scary and has its flaws, like all surgery does.

I think it is the right answer for this particular hard question that's been put on our bodies. I can tell you that because I've done it twice, both times with trained people advising against it, with some that I trusted for it.

In the end, I put my trust on the research I did, the fact that for me the risks were acceptable for the expected result. But I did take time to do the research, as you're doing. It's an unnerving thing, and it is something you have to end up being as comfortable with as you can.

As much as any of this can make us comfortable, that is.

I consider this procedure a godsend, it has given me my life as I could only dream of it, back.

In the end, though you need to be good with it. We're here to help for whatever questions you have, as non medical people with experience.