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Author Topic: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please  (Read 4349 times)

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badbone

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Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« on: September 16, 2015, 11:42:33 AM »
I was set on going with a metal on metal implant.

But then read about the new Synovo.

Has anyone done research on the advantages of disadvantages of both devices?

How did you decide?

I know that there is one prominent surgeon who does the synovo.

Curious as to why you went with one over the other?

Thanks for your help.

You can PM me to keep information offline if needed.

3/30/16 re- surfaced

John C

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2015, 11:41:08 PM »
Here is my understanding as a fellow patient, but you should definitely confirm it with a surgeon.
Brief history: The first resurfacings back in the 70s were metal on plastic (similar to the Synova, but with inferior early generation plastics), and they were a disaster with very high failure rates, so everyone quit doing them. The consensus was that the large joint surfaces in a resurfacing, as compared to the small ball THRs that were being done at that time, caused excessive plastic wear debris. Only a few were metal on metal back then, and they did very well. Interestingly, Dr Pritchett who recently developed the Synova was highly involved with resurfacing back in those early days.
Then in the 90s, the metal on metal approach was developed, and has been doing very well with the right manufacturers and the right surgeons. MoM has done particularly well in the larger sizes, and sometimes not quite as well in the smaller sizes. In an attempt to solve some of the metal debris problems from edge loading in the smaller sizes, Dr Pritchett developed the Synova as a metal on plastic alternative to the the MoM. Since the plastic being used currently has far better wear characteristics than that used in the 70s, it is expected to do much better than it did back then. However, there is still some concern that the metal on plastic might lead to a lot of plastic wear debris in the larger sizes, so I believe that the Synova is mostly being recommended for the smaller sizes that may not do as well with MoM. I believe that Dr Pritchett who developed the Synova is still recommending MoM for the larger sizes, I believe because the MoM will have less wear problems in those larger sizes than metal on plastic.
Bottom line, if you are in the mid to large size range, it is likely that everyone would recommend that you go with metal on metal if you want a resurfacing. If you are very small boned, then the Synova is an alternative to consider. Since the Synova does not have as long a track record as the MoM options, there is some uncertainty there, so it might be worth considering the option of MoM with one of the top surgeons like Dr Gross, who has developed techniques that show good success with MoM even in the smaller sizes. If you have a known issue with metal, Synova might be the only resurfacing option in any size.
Hope this helps.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

chuckm

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2015, 09:03:56 AM »
Hey Badbone, from other posts on this site, Dr. Pritchett will give you the option for a Synovo device, but he might tell you the BHR is a better option depending on factors like gender, activity level, and you body size.

Dr. Pritchett does not promote the Synovo as a potentially better option to his BHR except with women and small boned men who don't do quite as well with the BHR. So unless you are in that category, stick with BHR because for men there is not much room for improvement - provided you choose a top notch experience resurfacing surgeon. Dr. Pritchett is one of those.

Chuckm
Left BHR 11/30/12
Hospital for Special Surgery
46 years old

badbone

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2015, 10:59:21 AM »
Thank you for the replies.
This site and the forum members are a godsend


At 6'4 and a very athletic 230 I guess I don't fit the profile for the synovo.


MoM it is.


Thanks again for clarifying the distinction between synovo and BHR.



3/30/16 re- surfaced

karlos.bell

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2015, 04:41:32 PM »
 :) Hey Bad bone.
Again it is the person fitting the device as well so there are many factors. Not so much the device!!! Bad fit will spell disaster and that is as well in a THR the same thing. Many times now I come across people that have had this error factor as I am a new bee to this whole thing. The fitter is one of the biggest and important factors. I see and know people with  THR's lasting over 20 years in real active people so this to me is one of the obvious factors. Cheers K
2019-2020 THR Left & Right COC Revision Zim Continuum cup with Biolox Delta Cer Liner, Biolox Delta Cer Head 40mm 12/14 Taper, CPT Stem Cem.
2019-2020 removal of Hip Resurfacing due to Metal Toxicity Cobalt - Chromium.
2015 MOM Conserve plus
2011-2013 FAI hip surgery failure
2007-Injury wakeboarding

blinky

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2015, 10:50:48 PM »
Good luck! Look forward to reading your report.

Michigan97

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Re: Metal on Metal or the new Synovo??? help please
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2015, 08:27:59 PM »
I realize I might be a little late to the party, but I just had the Synovo implanted three months ago. My experience was excellent. I was scheduled to have a BHR and I got a 47mm Synovo instead. Having a cemented MoM implant scared me. My desire was some type of ceramic or ceramic coating--the Synovo fit the bill for me. They did a spinal block and dissolvable suturing. I'm 5'10" and mid-200 lbs. The polyethelyne can be replaced, although hip dislocation is required (better than a THR by the BHR). Anyway, consult with Dr. Pritchett--he's very approachable.

 

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