Hi
I will partially answer your first question based on stats from my own website and experience over the last 10 years.
A few years ago,
www.surfacehippy.info received an average of 1500 unique visitors a day. Really a lot in the scheme of things since the internet is so large. My website was listed 3rd on Google for hip resurfacing.
I still work on the website as a full time job and often add new information along with all the new posts on the discussion group. Now, about 850 unique visitors a day view the website. I feel all the negative media information has really scared people off. All of the lawsuits for the ASR and other MOM devices are on the TV all the time. It would make me worry if I were considering a hip replacement. In the Google search for hip resurfacing there are many big websites including the New York Times with their negative articles which put my little website down low on the 2nd page.
In the past almost all surgeons who did not perform hip resurfacing told patients it was not a good choice. Normally, these were the surgeons who were not up to date on information, tried hip resurfacing and failed, or were not advanced enough to do the surgery. So the large majority of the medical field did not like hip resurfacing.
Also hip resurfacing was only less than 10% of hip replacements - in it's prime. Now much less. So even the THR device manufactures would bad mouth it to get their surgeons to use THRs. THRs were an easier surgery and easier to place without as many post op problems.
So poor old hip resurfacing has taken a back seat in the medical arena for a long time. Now, it seems with all the devices like ASR, Cormet and Wright C Plus being either recalled, or just not available in the US - People see very little positive information about the remaining devices.
I have watched hip resurfacing come full circle in 10 years. Back in 2005 almost no one knew about it and most people traveled overseas for their surgeries. Now in 2015 few people know about it since THRs take up all the news and marketing. Also the big MOM scare, which was basically for THRs, not well placed Hip Resurfacing Devices, also took the headlines in the media. People just don't hear much about hip resurfacing and many are now forced to travel long distances in the US or overseas, especially if they are small men and female.
That is the reason I keep working on the website and promoting Hip Resurfacing - tell the world that there is still a great option besides a THR if you are a good candidate. There are still very experienced hip resurfacing surgeons that have great outcomes for men and women.
You can read about the many positive outcomes for men and women by top, experienced hip resurfacing surgeons here:
http://www.surfacehippy.info/hip-resurfacing-small-men-women-2015.phpPat