Resurfacing in the UK

[jimbone]

Hello All,

It is unclear to me whether the NHS supports and covers HR or only THR.  Do we have some people from thereabouts that can answer this definitively?  My purpose is to "spread the word" [if it's a good one] over to the people on the total hip replacement forum so they can at least make a more informed choice.  Originally I was anticipating a THR [or two] and only learned about resurfacing when researching local surgeons and learning what alternatives were available on Dr. Pritchett's website., which eventually led me here.  A few bad clicks of the mouse and it could have been a different story.   My thinking is with greater use of the procedure, especially now that is has proven so successful, not only will insurers be more accepting but more surgeons will pursue the training for better patient outcomes. 

[Granton]

I am sure the NHS still covers resurfacing. My second one, in 2013 was covered, though I do not think Mr McMinn still does NHS work. A friend of mine had two done since then, on the NHS, by Mr Ronan Treacy.


At one time, many more surgeons were implanting them, but it is clear you need to go to somebody very experienced and who is currently doing a lot of them (such as Mr Treacy).


I hope that Andy Murray is going to be a great advert for the BHR.

[Rus]

I had mine done on the NHS in September 2018.  Before visiting the surgeon, I'd just assumed there was one type of hip replacement.  The surgeon (Mr Cobb - Epsom/St Helier) game me the choice, and suggested i go away and use Google, and then let him know what I wanted.
Very pleased with my BHR!  On the 6 month anniversary, I was on a snowboard in Soll, Austria 

[jimbone]

Russ-

I's heard about Dr. Cobb over on the THR site, all very good reports.  Glad to hear he does resurfacing as well and apparently a great job of it- snowboarding at 6 months is terrific.  Thanks for the reply- it will be helpful to be able to name some HR surgeons for the folks who have only considered THR.

[toby]

Hi there,
Although I had my HR done at a private hospital over 9 years ago, my surgeon prof Cobb is an internationally high profile surgeon/ huge advocate of resurfacing who operates on the NHS from Imperial College/ Charing Cross Hospital in London. Prior to my surgery I contacted several of his NHS resurfs who were delighted with the results.
Get your GP to refer you to him- probably a long waiting list though!
Best
Toby

[jimbone]

Toby,

Thanks for the reference and yes I've heard about him on this side of the pond.  I am looking to point out to some of the people on the Bonesmart website that THR is not their only option and HR might be worth considering.  The website is UK based and it would be helpful to provide names of UK surgeon who perform HR within the NHS. 

[Pat Walter]

Yes, many support Hip Resurfacing in the UK.  Professor Cobb if very well known and now on the cutting edge of developing the H1 Ceramic on Ceramic Hip Resurfacing Device.   https://surfacehippy.info/professor-cobb-interview-about-hip-resurfacing-and-the-future-of-hip-resurfacing/
Mr. McMinn is of course the man along with Mr. Treacy who started very early on in the late 90's with his BHR. He is developing the X Poly on Metal Hip Resurfacing Device.  https://surfacehippy.info/mr-mcminn-interview/
Dr. De Smet is only across the border and is very reasonably priced for a cash experience.  Certainly was in 2006 when I flew to Belgium and probably still is.

There are many others too.  I don't know the procedure to use the private system there, but many on this group have.  Here are a few of the top surgeons in the UK:

Mr. Mark Bloomfield
  650 Hip Resurfacings to date
 78 Harley Street, London
 W1G 7HJ
 Phone 0207 034 8880
 Email:desi@webhost.co.uk

Mr. Hugh Clarke FRCS
  140 Hip Resurfacings To Date***
 Consultant Hip and Knee Surgeon
 Spire Hospital Portsmouth
 Bartons Road
 Havant
 UK
 Tel 0044 (0)1243 773031

Professor Justin P Cobb MCh(Oxon)FRCS
 Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
 The London Clinic
 149 Harley Street
 London W1G 6DE
 Tel: 020 7224 0326 Fax: 020 7487 5997
 Email:j.cobb@thelondonclinic.co.uk
 http://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/j.cobb
 

Mr. Jim Holland – BHR Trained McMinn & Treacy 1998
  800 Hip Resurfacings to Date***
 Newcastle Nuffield Hospital
 Nuffield health,
 Clayton Road
 Jesmond,
 Newcastle-upon-Tyne
 NE2 1JP
 email:
 jim.holland@nuth.nhs.uk
 phone (+44) 0191 256 3039

Mr. Jeremy Latham MA MCh FRCS(Orth)
  600 Hip Resurfacings to date***
 Spire Southampton Hospital
 Chalybeate Close
 Southampton
 SO16 6UY
 Tel: +44 2380 914483
 PA: Anne Harding
 Email
 Anne.Harding@spirehealthcare.com
 Latham Consultancy Website

Mr. Derek McMinn FRCS, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
  3333 Hip Resurfacings to date
 The McMinn Centre
 25 Highfield Road
 Edgbaston
 Birmingham B15 3DP
 Tel: [+44] 0121 455 0411
 Fax: 0121 455 0259
 email:enquiries@mcminncentre.co.uk
 http://www.mcminncentre.co.uk/

Mr. Richard Stephen Majkowski,
  BA,MBChir (Camb),FRCS,FRCS(Orth)
  400 Hip Resurfacings to date
 Capio Winfield Hospital, Gloucester, UK
 Orthopaedics and trauma, Joint replacement, Joint revision,
 Arthroscopic surgery, Paediatric orthopaedic surgery,
 Hip and knee replacement
 and revision surgery, Hip Resurfacing
 Tel: 01452 331111
 

Mr. Tony Nargol FRCS Orth
  530 Hip Resurfacings to date ***
 University Hospital of North Tees
 Hardwick Road
 Stockton
 TS19 8PE
 tel 0844 8118222
 fax 01642 624089
 and
 Nuffield Hospital Tees,
 Junction Road,
 Norton,
 Stockton-on-Tees,
 Cleveland
 TS20 1PX
 Tel: 0800 015 50 20
 Fax: 01243 832095
 email
 A.NARGOL@NTLWORLD.COM

Mr. Ronan Treacy,  MBCHB 1983, FRCS 1988, FRCS Orth 1995
  5000 Hip Resurfacings to date
 Birmingham Nuffield Hospital, UK
 Orthopaedics,  Knee and Hip Surgery
 Tel: 0121 454 6161
 http://www.roh.nhs.uk/

[jimbone]

Thank you for the list of HR surgeons Pat, it's more extensive than I would anticipate.  Good to see resurfacing has found such a strong base of support.  I posted to Bonesmart yesterday- a brief history of my own experience and an encouragement for people to investigate it as an alternative mentioning his site as a great source of information.  Funny thing was: when it printed to the web "Surface Hippy" was automatically translated to "the other website".  I thought I'd made some stupid typing/grammatical mistake but it's probably just those darned algorithms doing their thing.  Another thing I noticed was the far more positive note and tenor of the posts there.  When I was first looking into hip surgery I was assuming a THR- hadn't learned about resurfacing- and many of the post in 2016-2018 were from people having very difficult issues following their THR.  Looking trough last night it appeared on the surface to be a lot of happy campers.  I do hope the post I left there is well received in the intention it was made- that HR is an alternative to THR that might be a better option for some people that are otherwise not aware of it.  If the post gets any questions I'll make sure to direct them to your list of UK surgeons Pat.  Thanks Again.

[Pat Walter]

In the past, Bonesmart folks did not like hip resurfacing. Maybe they are being more open minded now. That would be a good thing since people should know they have choices.

My website being a .info  makes it less easily used.  https://surfacehippy.info   As you know there are several surface hippy type websites and discussion groups. The Yahoo surface hippy forum was the first. I started mine in 2005. The others came along later. I wish I had not used the surface hippy name, but at the time I thought it would be a good index. Discussion groups don't have very good indexing. There are a lot of bad feelings over my use of surface hippy. But, that was such a common term at the time I thought it appropriate.  I later found out that Keith of the Yahoo health group made it up. By that time, I had my site up and running. So the rest is history. My website is the only one that has a public discussion group. People have to become members to view and post on them. I felt that it was a good idea to be public. Many people have written to me to say they read it all the time, but don't want to post.
My website is by far the largest and receives 800 to 1000 unique visitors a day. In the prime of hip resurfacing, it received over 1500 unique visitors a day. That's a lot for a small website. Mine is the largest because I work on it as a full time job.  I did that back in 2005 because I wanted people to know they had options. I worked on it for 3 years full time and never had a paid ad. Then the doctors, hospitals and hip resurfacing device manufactures started to notice the site. Eventually, many advertised. That income has helped me to maintain and grow the website. I am able to work on it full time because I don't have another job. My goal in life is telling the world about hip resurfacing. Every member of the discussion group helps me fulfill that goal. The personal stories and posts are so helpful to perspective patients. So I am not doing it alone. 

The ads do not influence the content of the website.  It is about hip resurfacing in general. Not a device or a doctor. Very few publications and newspapers would exist without advertising. Many people were upset that I accepted ads, but the website would not be what it is today without them. There are a few thousand articles and over two thousand personal stories along with thousands of posts on the discussion group.

[karlos.bell]

  Awesome Pat you have done a splendid job!

[blinky]

Interesting that bonesmart is more positive these days. I read it pre op, too, and also recall it being very conservative and pessimistic, not just about HR but also THR. It seemed like it was for old people. Good luck broadening the conversation.

Do they talk about Andy Murray?

[jimbone]

The Bonesmart website just doesn't seem to function as well or even the same as it did when I was active on it in 2017/early 18.  I don't find my post at all unless I search the title.  Searching "hip resurfacing" brings up a lot of hits [although not mine] and the general take on HR is mixed at best.  One moderator stated "there's very little difference between them.  Either way you get new hips".  Grudging acceptance?  It occurred to me, something both sets of patients have in common is the pre surgical trepidation and the post surgical relief from OA pain that is usually accompanied by a deep pervading gratitude.  Both perfectly natural, healthy emotions that can, however, occlude the rational.  We are fortunate not just for the website Pat has set up so well and that functions so well but her full time ongoing support that keeps it trimmed and on course.