Dr. Brooks - BHR no longer used in females or small men

[Pat Walter]

 Hi Pat


Yes, it is true. Smith and Nephew was asked to respond to the long-known worse outcomes in females. This was precipitated by the UK's National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) raising their 10 year outcomes requirement from 90% where it been for years, to 95%.

Raising the bar left females and small sizes below the bar (along with a great many total hips as well, so expect more fall-out), and males well above the bar.

If you remember, the UK registry, on which their regulators base decisions, had an average doctor's resurfacing volume of just 4 per year, of which 3 would be expected to be men. So this decision, made for the safety of women, was based on the combined data in the UK of docs doing 1 per year.

Honestly, if I did one heart transplant a year, it wouldn't do very well!

As a woman with a well-functioning BHR, I am sure this action is disturbing to you, as it is to my patients.

The actual product removal is sizes 46 mm heads and below, (which is virtually all my female patients) as well as females of any size.

Small men are also affected.

How about you start a write-in campaign, or online petition?

Best wishes, Peter Brooks MD [you may post this if you wish]