Hip resurfacing up here in the great white north....north of Toronto

[knnite]

Hello every one. I have been reading and following posts for quite some time now and am amazed at how helpful this site is. Thank you to all who contribute. In that spirit I will contribute my tales. I live about an hour north of Toronto in Barrie Ontario. I am going to have my surgery April 24, 2014 at the hospital located on the campus of Western University (formerly known as the University of Western Ontario) by Dr. McCalden. I completed my undergraduate degree at UWO many years ago and also played junior A hockey for the London Knights so I am very familiar with the hospital's wonderful reputation, facilities and research (student body is about 35,000 I believe). Dr. McCalden has been doing resurfacing surgery for about six years. His reputation is stellar and he was my first choice. My initial meeting was informative and he gave me such a feeling of confidence. Frankly, as you have all chronicled, I am tired of the pain, lack of sleep and limited life style so to say I am eager is certainly and understatement. I go for my pre-op meeting April 8th. Thank you again and I will add what I can to this informative web site. rjr

[evant]

Good luck for your surgery next month.

Keep as fit as you can prior to surgery and youŽll reap the benefits in the early weeks post-op.

[China Lady]

how is the weather south of Alaska?
you will have surgery 24.04.2014, hospital ~ 1 week, go home, be a couch potato for 3 weeks ...... good job! when you are mobile again spring will be there! imagine: you walking the roads without pain! sun is shining, trees will become green and all the power is yours!
stay tuned. we will go with you. each of us!

[digidydawg]

Canadian Doctors don't get a lot of mention on this forum for some reason ..... I wonder why that is?? ..... anywho ..... I told my GP I don't care how long I have to wait but I want the best surgeon I could get. Dr. McCalden did my resurfacing 3 months ago and I couldn't be happier. Looking forward to my 14th year of kitesurfing this summer and my 42nd year of skiing next winter.
cheers

[China Lady]

Canadian Doctors don't get a lot of mention on this forum for some reason ..... I wonder why that is?? ....

same goes with the ones being in China. maybe that's why there are not so much patients outside US. I strongly, believe it is not because they are not "good" enough.
my doc, Dr. Jason Brockwell, Hong Kong, is simply great!

[knnite]

China Lady, digidydawg, evant.....you are all so encouraging! The weather up here south of Alaska.....still snowing and -8 Celcius which is -110 F, lol. I did my undergrad at University of Western Ontario and played for the London Knights Junior A hockey team, so when McCalden came in to see me he mentioned a 6 month wait....he then saw the hockey notation on my file and asked if I knew Larry Riggin....well Larry was my defence partner in the day and McCalden had just returned from a Florida golf vacation with Larry....he said out of respect for the "entertainment" value I had sacrificed my body for in London he said he would try and get me in earlier....bingo less than 60 days! I am soooo excited because as you all know too well, I am tired of being tired from not sleeping and dismayed for being unable to be active. McCalden said I'd be golfing and moving around in 3 months...my bone density was excellent. Point well taken re conditioning event. I am?was very fit and am doing what I can to prepare. I live alone so I will be in a respite home for the first two weeks after surgery. McCalden explained to a surgeon visiting from Australia that he is very particular about candidates for resurfacing. He is gracious, encouraging and I feel totally confident. How often did you guys ice after surgery. I was looking at those ice machines/pumps that provide up to 11 hours of cold. Thank you all very much. RJR in Barrie Ontario Canada

[Debcoco]

Hi Knnite,

Congrats on your upcoming surgery!  Just wanted to throw in my 2 cents re: icing.  I had general anesthesia and once I woke up I had no pain but the incision area had some swelling and pain when pressure was applied. I used the "ice bags" that the hospital provided. Once home, I used ice bags that you place in the freezer and the whole bag freezes.  I also had an "ice machine or ice bags" poll going you might want to take a look at on this site as well.

I'm not sure if someone has an epidural that ice machines are required for recovery? Maybe others who have had epidurals can comment.

I wish you the best!

deb

[knnite]

Thank you for your input Deb. Interesting perspective to investigate. I prefer a general too. When did you have your surgery and what surgical approach was used?
Thanks again, rj

[Debcoco]

I had my surgery last December so its getting close to 4 months now.  The surgical approach was posterior.  I've got a long scar, but it has really closed up so now it's just like a red line was drawn on my thigh.

I'm so happy I had the surgery and I know you will be too!

deb

[knnite]

I read where some procedures do not require the capsule to be repaired after surgery. I noted that Dr. Su in his approach does repair it, I will be asking my Dr. during my pre-op. It is supposed to help stop dislocations....does anybody have any more info on this? Thanks

[chuckm]

Hey Knnite, there is no capsule repair in total hip replacement because they remove the capsule. In resurfacing there is, but they can only repair the outer portion which is about half. The other half heals on its own. The repair is one of the ways the surgeons are able to make the hip stable after surgery so the dislocation rate is so low.

Chuckm

[Juno]

I can speak to the questions of anesthesia approach and ice machine  --- It doesn't matter is basically what it comes down to. How or how often you choose to ice an injury (and surgery is an injury to bone, muscle and soft tissue) isn't related to the anesthesia you were given. Icing should be done to reduce swelling, inflammation and pain. It really helps, so the consensus is generally do it! LOL!

Just FYI -- many of us have had spinal anesthesia (this is an injection of anesthetic into your spinal column that numbs below the level given -- think like going to the dentist for a filling). But you are also given medication to induce "twilight sleep") -- meaning you won't generally hear, feel or remember anything. This is suppose to reduce the side effects of a general (inhaled anesthesia).

Best of luck to you! I am almost 4 months out on my second HR and walked 8 miles yesterday and did a spin class. Seriously, life is great compared to a year ago!

[knnite]

Again, thank you so much for the info Chuck, Juno and Deb. Interesting about the capsule. I am having resurfacing just for clarification. Another point I noticed on one of Dr. Su's videos was the "reorienting" of the femur hip while doing the resurfacing. Does anybody know how this is determined, measured or diagnosed?
Btw, when I hadn't heard from London in December I contacted Dr. Su's office to see what was available. I was quoted a minimum of $125,000.00 and he was booking for April. The next day I was contacted by McCalden's office and as noted am booked for April.....no cost....so I guess as much as we complain we have it pretty good up here....at least I am grateful.
Thanks for you input and I look forward to more info. rj

[labusas]

Dear Knnite, congrads on your up coming surgery.
I haven't even heard about Dr.  McCalden and I'm in Toronto, On. I'm glad to hear that the good ones exist around here. It's a shame there is no published information about Canadian resurfacing specialists!  I'm leaning towards the doctors with "published records" like Dr. De Smet.  I'm in contact with him personally and I have to tell you it makes a world of difference. He answers all you concerns and questions personally.
In Toronto I was told a wait time is more than and year with Dr. Schemitch and there's NO guaranty i'll get the resurfacing since final decision to be made based on the size of my ball on the surgery table.  So you can say I got really scared and I'm not a very happy camper.
All the best!

[knnite]

Hello Iabusas. Yes Dr. McCalden has been doing resurfacings for over six years. In fact he had a surgeon from Australia studying with him when I was in for my assessment in February. UWO hospital is renowned for international athletes and professionals coming there for specialized treatments.....Ella Fitzgerald, Steve Yzerman, etc etc. I was also aware of Dr. Beule in Ottawa but couldn't even get a return call....I was predisposed to McCalden but wanted various opinions and research. I know Margaret Wente of the Globe went to the Dr in Montreal (Antoniu sp) but she has since written articles about her challenges with metal ions as she did not have the Birmingham. So we all do our best research, make a decision and have faith in our surgeons. I am so confident in Dr. McCalden; he has been great, his office admin (Karen) so I am so eager to get this done. This site is great. Pat referred me to a previous poster who had Dr. McCalden and she hoped more Canadians would post....so that is what I am doing. All the best and keep us informed! rj

[Gazza2]

..I was also aware of Dr. Beule in Ottawa but couldn't even get a return call....

  For anyone in Ottawa region there are Dr Beaule and Dr Kim at the Ottawa General who have been doing HR frequently for several years and continue to do them. No doubt the wait times are a problem (Mine was 11 months) but I cannot complain about the quality of care, surgical skill, usage of most current best procedures etc. and it is all covered by OHIP.

[Canadian-Ice]

All the best from Brampton.

Great to hear from Canadian patients about local doctors.

[labusas]

I've finally made a decision after 4 years of sitting in the background as an observer in pain...

I chose Dr. De Smet in Belgium and don't care that I have to pay for it.  Don't want to talk policy here but I gave local Ontario system a chance and it's just not a choice because the specialists I saw have over 1 to 2 year waiting lists, no published records, not eager to answer the concerns and most of all not standing behind resurfacing choice.  I could go and see others now that are mentioned in this thread and I'm sure there are good ones??!! but the waiting list is just not acceptable for me, so is the UNKNOWN.  I'm not very happy about it since I live here and have paid in the health care system all my life.  Now when I need it - system failed me.
Thanks to this site in making this decision for me easy!
 

[Canadian-Ice]

Hi Labusas,

Yes, I also decided to opt out of the Ontario system for many of the same reasons as yourself. Any surgeon demands an act of faith, but we should be able to trust that complaints about surgeons like Dr. de Smet, Dr. Bose, Mr. McMinn would be posted here. The absence of those, plus their reputations and declared stats, gives me, for one, faith in their results.

[Pat Walter]

You will do great with Dr. De Smet.  My De Smet BHR is 8 years old and going strong.  I, too, had to pay, but felt it was the best investment I could make for my health and well being.

Keep us posted when you can and share some nice Belgium stories with us.

Good Luck.

Pat