RE: How do I find a surgeon in Boston for young pts & fusion experience

January 21, 2004

Hi Colleen,

I am 27, and had my THR last year in march from CHD, but had had an

osteomtomy at 14 in South Africa, not a fusion.. It got to the stage where

all I wanted was to be able to be pain free, sleep and get my appetite back

after a painkiller induced stomach ulcer.. Life is very different now and I

went scuba diving in November, and my stomach has finally healed up..

My surgeon is one of the 2 main people to go to here in the UK, and he has

done quite a few younger thrs.. He started off suggesting a ceramic, but I

think when he got in, realised he could save more than he thought, and I am

now the proud owner of a titanium rear end..

If you want me to ask him for any recommendations on your side of the pond,

of need anyone to talk to.. please feel free to give me a shout.

Caroline

>From: " Colleen " <colleen-joe@...>

>Reply-Joint Replacement

>Joint Replacement

>Subject: How do I find a surgeon in Boston for

>young pts & fusion experience

>Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 01:12:30 -0000

>

>Hi,

>

>I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old & born with chd. I have had

>several surgeries - my last being a hip fusion. This makes my case

>much more complex than a typical thr. I am finding it difficult

>finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss my case immediately due to

>my age & 2) has any experience with a take down of a hip fusion. I

>have been told that the recovery time will be much more difficult &

>if I need several revisions I could be left with no hip. I would

>like another opinion as metal on metal nor ceramic on ceramic were

>even discussed. I am willing to travel if I have to so if you have a

>great doc - I will take the info gladly. My reason for wanting this

>surgery so badly is two fold - I would like to be pain free so that I

>can walk or sit for any period of time & I would like to be able to

>move my hip once again to do simple things like tie my shoe or ride a

>bike.

>

>Thanks for any help.

>Colleen

>

January 21, 2004

Colleen,

Try calling the orthopedics unit at UCLA

medical they might have information on whom you can contact in regards to

getting a surgeon. When I went over there it was for a exam on a possible

resurfacing, and I didn’t qualify. But he didn’t seem to have a

problem with doing a THR on me.

I was 27 at the time. Not like it was that

long ago because I am 29 now. But I went through the same thing, and it bugs me

to no end.

Tiffinee

From: Colleen

[mailto:colleen-joe@...]

Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004

5:13 PM

To:

Joint Replacement

Subject:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston

for young pts & fusion experience

Hi,

I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old & born

with chd. I have had

several surgeries - my last being a hip fusion.

This makes my case

much more complex than a typical thr. I am finding

it difficult

finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss my case

immediately due to

my age & 2) has any experience with a take

down of a hip fusion. I

have been told that the recovery time will be much

more difficult &

if I need several revisions I could be left with

no hip. I would

like another opinion as metal on metal nor ceramic

on ceramic were

even discussed. I am willing to travel if I have

to so if you have a

great doc - I will take the info gladly. My reason

for wanting this

surgery so badly is two fold - I would like to be

pain free so that I

can walk or sit for any period of time & I

would like to be able to

move my hip once again to do simple things like

tie my shoe or ride a

bike.

Thanks for any help.

Colleen

January 21, 2004

Caroline,

What’s the wear time on yours? Just

wondering I have ceramic and titanium zimmers, with larger then normal ball

joints.

Tiffinee

From: Caroline

[mailto:carolinejohn@...]

Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004

10:35 AM

To:

Joint Replacement

Cc: colleen-joe@...

Subject: RE:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston

for young pts & fusion experience

Hi Colleen,

I am 27, and had my THR last year in march from

CHD, but had had an

osteomtomy at 14 in South Africa,

not a fusion.. It got to the stage where

all I wanted was to be able to be pain free, sleep

and get my appetite back

after a painkiller induced stomach ulcer..

Life is very different now and I

went scuba diving in November, and my stomach has

finally healed up..

My surgeon is one of the 2 main people to go

to here in the UK,

and he has

done quite a few younger thrs.. He started off

suggesting a ceramic, but I

think when he got in, realised he could save more

than he thought, and I am

now the proud owner of a titanium rear end..

If you want me to ask him for any recommendations

on your side of the pond,

of need anyone to talk to.. please feel free to

give me a shout.

Caroline

>From: " Colleen "

<colleen-joe@...>

>Reply-To:

Joint Replacement

>Joint Replacement

>Subject: How do I

find a surgeon in Boston

for

>young pts & fusion experience

>Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 01:12:30 -0000

>

>Hi,

>

>I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old &

born with chd. I have had

>several surgeries - my last being a hip

fusion. This makes my case

>much more complex than a typical thr. I am

finding it difficult

>finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss my

case immediately due to

>my age & 2) has any experience with a take

down of a hip fusion. I

>have been told that the recovery time will be

much more difficult &

>if I need several revisions I could be left

with no hip. I would

>like another opinion as metal on metal nor

ceramic on ceramic were

>even discussed. I am willing to travel if I

have to so if you have a

>great doc - I will take the info gladly. My

reason for wanting this

>surgery so badly is two fold - I would like to

be pain free so that I

>can walk or sit for any period of time & I

would like to be able to

>move my hip once again to do simple things

like tie my shoe or ride a

>bike.

>

>Thanks for any help.

>Colleen

>

January 24, 2004

Tiffinee,

To be honest, I have no idea.. My surgeon suggested about 10 to 15 years,

but that's the normal response.. Mr Nunn (my surgeon) also used the stub

that I had as the head of my femur as a bone graft/cement to hold the pin in

place..

Caroline

>From: " Tiffinee Epton " <Fu0ry@...>

>Reply-Joint Replacement

><Joint Replacement >

>Subject: RE: How do I find a surgeon in Boston

>for young pts & fusion experience

>Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 11:57:10 -0800

>

>Caroline,

>

>What's the wear time on yours? Just wondering I have ceramic and titanium

>zimmers, with larger then normal ball joints.

>

>Tiffinee

>

> _____

>

>From: Caroline [mailto:carolinejohn@...]

>Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004 10:35 AM

>Joint Replacement

>Cc: colleen-joe@...

>Subject: RE: How do I find a surgeon in Boston

>for

>young pts & fusion experience

>

>Hi Colleen,

>

>I am 27, and had my THR last year in march from CHD, but had had an

>osteomtomy at 14 in South Africa, not a fusion.. It got to the stage where

>all I wanted was to be able to be pain free, sleep and get my appetite back

>after a painkiller induced stomach ulcer.. Life is very different now and

>I

>

>went scuba diving in November, and my stomach has finally healed up..

>

>My surgeon is one of the 2 main people to go to here in the UK, and he has

>done quite a few younger thrs.. He started off suggesting a ceramic, but I

>think when he got in, realised he could save more than he thought, and I am

>now the proud owner of a titanium rear end..

>

>If you want me to ask him for any recommendations on your side of the pond,

>of need anyone to talk to.. please feel free to give me a shout.

>

>Caroline

>

> >From: " Colleen " <colleen-joe@...>

> >Reply-Joint Replacement

> >Joint Replacement

> >Subject: How do I find a surgeon in Boston for

> >young pts & fusion experience

> >Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 01:12:30 -0000

> >

> >Hi,

> >

> >I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old & born with chd. I have had

> >several surgeries - my last being a hip fusion. This makes my case

> >much more complex than a typical thr. I am finding it difficult

> >finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss my case immediately due to

> >my age & 2) has any experience with a take down of a hip fusion. I

> >have been told that the recovery time will be much more difficult &

> >if I need several revisions I could be left with no hip. I would

> >like another opinion as metal on metal nor ceramic on ceramic were

> >even discussed. I am willing to travel if I have to so if you have a

> >great doc - I will take the info gladly. My reason for wanting this

> >surgery so badly is two fold - I would like to be pain free so that I

> >can walk or sit for any period of time & I would like to be able to

> >move my hip once again to do simple things like tie my shoe or ride a

> >bike.

> >

> >Thanks for any help.

> >Colleen

> >

February 3, 2004

Tiffinee: Why did the UCLA medical team decide to do a THR instead of

the resurfacing procedure? Was it

because of CHD or because of procedures done before you were age 27? Just curious. My son is age 17 and is scheduled for a THR because of CHD

and the doctors are not able to do resurfacing, but I don’t really understand

why. Thanks for sharing.

Beth (Mark’s Mom)

-----Original

Message-----

From: Tiffinee Epton

[mailto:Fu0ry@...]

Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004

1:56 PM

Joint Replacement

Subject: RE:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston for young pts &

fusion experience

Colleen,

Try calling the

orthopedics unit at UCLA medical they might have information on whom you can

contact in regards to getting a surgeon. When I went over there it was for a

exam on a possible resurfacing, and I didn’t qualify. But he didn’t seem to

have a problem with doing a THR on me.

I was 27 at the time. Not

like it was that long ago because I am 29 now. But I went through the same

thing, and it bugs me to no end.

Tiffinee

From: Colleen

[mailto:colleen-joe@...]

Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004

5:13 PM

To:

Joint Replacement

Subject:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston

for young pts & fusion experience

Hi,

I am new to this

site. I am 27 yrs old & born with chd. I have had

several

surgeries - my last being a hip fusion. This makes my case

much more

complex than a typical thr. I am finding it difficult

finding a doctor

who 1) will not dismiss my case immediately due to

my age & 2)

has any experience with a take down of a hip fusion. I

have been told

that the recovery time will be much more difficult &

if I need

several revisions I could be left with no hip. I would

like another

opinion as metal on metal nor ceramic on ceramic were

even discussed.

I am willing to travel if I have to so if you have a

great doc - I

will take the info gladly. My reason for wanting this

surgery so badly

is two fold - I would like to be pain free so that I

can walk or sit

for any period of time & I would like to be able to

move my hip once

again to do simple things like tie my shoe or ride a

bike.

Thanks for any

help.

Colleen

February 3, 2004

Beth,

From what I understand, I had so much

arthritis in my femur head that he would have to shave it to a nub. I was sent

to UCLA by the Dr at Nellis AFB that ended up just doing a hip replacement on

both sides. Also from what I had read in regards to it, its something to do

with the stability of your bone and if its that bad with Arthritis. Mine was

pretty bad, to the point where my femur head was shaped more like a foot ball

in one area, and I had no cartilage at all on the other hip. I wouldn’t worry

about him getting a THR, with the way that they are extending the life of the prosthetic’s

he has a while before he would need another one. Here is something that I did

bring up with my Dr. I was asking him just WHY we have to be concerned with

something like dislocation at a 90 degree angle. Well I found out it has a lot

to do with the size of the head that they put in. When they di get him in for a

THR talk to his dr about putting in a bigger head and cup if his pelvis can

handle the bigger cup. I ended up with Zimmers with 35mm heads and I can do

just about anything within reason (except sky dive but hey who wants to jump

out of a perfectly working airplane haha)

Tiffinee

From: Beth &

Arimond [mailto:armon@...]

Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004

11:33 AM

Joint Replacement

Subject: RE:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston for young pts & fusion experience

Tiffinee: Why did the UCLA

medical team decide to do a THR instead of the resurfacing procedure? Was

it because of CHD or because of procedures done before you were age 27?

Just curious. My son is age 17 and is scheduled for a THR because of CHD

and the doctors are not able to do resurfacing, but I don’t really

understand why. Thanks for sharing.

Beth (Mark’s Mom)

-----Original

Message-----

From: Tiffinee Epton

[mailto:Fu0ry@...]

Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2004

1:56 PM

Joint Replacement

Subject: RE:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston for young pts & fusion experience

Colleen,

Try calling the

orthopedics unit at UCLA medical they might have information on whom you can

contact in regards to getting a surgeon. When I went over there it was for a

exam on a possible resurfacing, and I didn’t qualify. But he didn’t

seem to have a problem with doing a THR on me.

I was 27 at the time. Not

like it was that long ago because I am 29 now. But I went through the same

thing, and it bugs me to no end.

Tiffinee

From: Colleen

[mailto:colleen-joe@...]

Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004

5:13 PM

Joint Replacement

Subject:

How do I find a surgeon in Boston

for young pts & fusion experience

Hi,

I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old

& born with chd. I have had

several surgeries - my last being a hip

fusion. This makes my case

much more complex than a typical thr. I am

finding it difficult

finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss

my case immediately due to

my age & 2) has any experience with a

take down of a hip fusion. I

have been told that the recovery time will

be much more difficult &

if I need several revisions I could be left

with no hip. I would

like another opinion as metal on metal nor

ceramic on ceramic were

even discussed. I am willing to travel if

I have to so if you have a

great doc - I will take the info gladly.

My reason for wanting this

surgery so badly is two fold - I would

like to be pain free so that I

can walk or sit for any period of time

& I would like to be able to

move my hip once again to do simple things

like tie my shoe or ride a

bike.

Thanks for any help.

Colleen

Groups Links

·

To visit your group on the web, go to:

Joint Replacement/

·

February 4, 2004

You are exactly right - the post operative range of motion is pretty

much proportional to the size of the femoral head (all other factors

being equal). So far, the largest femoral heads are in the

metal-on-metal devices. Next are the ceramic devices. Typically, the

smallest femoral heads are found in the metal-on-polyethylene devices.

Large = 45 to 55 mm

Medium = in the thirties (of mms)

Small = twenty something (mms)

> Beth,

>

> From what I understand, I had so much arthritis in my femur head that he

> would have to shave it to a nub. I was sent to UCLA by the Dr at

Nellis AFB

> that ended up just doing a hip replacement on both sides. Also from

what I

> had read in regards to it, its something to do with the stability of

your

> bone and if its that bad with Arthritis. Mine was pretty bad, to the

point

> where my femur head was shaped more like a foot ball in one area,

and I had

> no cartilage at all on the other hip. I wouldn't worry about him

getting a

> THR, with the way that they are extending the life of the

prosthetic's he

> has a while before he would need another one. Here is something that

I did

> bring up with my Dr. I was asking him just WHY we have to be

concerned with

> something like dislocation at a 90 degree angle. Well I found out it

has a

> lot to do with the size of the head that they put in. When they di

get him

> in for a THR talk to his dr about putting in a bigger head and cup

if his

> pelvis can handle the bigger cup. I ended up with Zimmers with 35mm

heads

> and I can do just about anything within reason (except sky dive but

hey who

> wants to jump out of a perfectly working airplane haha)

>

> Tiffinee

>

> _____

>

> From: Beth & Arimond [mailto:armon@c...]

> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 11:33 AM

> Joint Replacement

> Subject: RE: How do I find a surgeon in

Boston for

> young pts & fusion experience

>

> Tiffinee: Why did the UCLA medical team decide to do a THR instead

of the

> resurfacing procedure? Was it because of CHD or because of

procedures done

> before you were age 27? Just curious. My son is age 17 and is

scheduled

> for a THR because of CHD and the doctors are not able to do

resurfacing, but

> I don't really understand why. Thanks for sharing.

>

> Beth (Mark's Mom)

>

> How do I find a surgeon in Boston for

> young pts & fusion experience

>

> Hi,

>

> I am new to this site. I am 27 yrs old & born with chd. I have had

> several surgeries - my last being a hip fusion. This makes my case

> much more complex than a typical thr. I am finding it difficult

> finding a doctor who 1) will not dismiss my case immediately due to

> my age & 2) has any experience with a take down of a hip fusion. I

> have been told that the recovery time will be much more difficult &

> if I need several revisions I could be left with no hip. I would

> like another opinion as metal on metal nor ceramic on ceramic were

> even discussed. I am willing to travel if I have to so if you have a

> great doc - I will take the info gladly. My reason for wanting this

> surgery so badly is two fold - I would like to be pain free so that I

> can walk or sit for any period of time & I would like to be able to

> move my hip once again to do simple things like tie my shoe or ride a

> bike.

>

> Thanks for any help.

> Colleen

>

> _____

>

February 4, 2004

Colleen:

It's a bit of a hike from Boston but I would suggest you consult with

Dr. Mont at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore - he specializes in young

patients. I just posted his contact information in response to

another message (or maybe a later message in your thread) but here it

is again:

A. Mont, MD

Co-Director

Center for Joint Preservation and Replacement

410-601-8500

http://www.lifebridgehealth.com/sinaibody.cfm?id=1084

They do both THR and resurfacing there and can provide all the various

bearing surfaces in the prosthetic devices they use.