thoughts on thrs versus surfs

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

I have been called a surface hippy at heart (that is from Rick West,

I think). I do not qualify for a surf job, sad to say, because not

only do I have OA but I also have aseptic necrosis AND bone deformity

AND improper biomechanics stemming from an infection in my hip

secondary to meningitis when I was a baby.

I was very set on a surf job, and wanted one at *all* costs. I have

slowly learned, however, that surfs are not for everyone. The ironic

thing is that, while surf jobs will maintain biomechanics for most

people, the THR will restore " normal " anatomy for me. So. This is

just to say...that a surf is not always the ideal, and THRs are still

the best things in some cases, although I do grant you I think surf

jobs are the best thing for the most part, and I think they are the

wave of the future.

That what would appear to be the best thing (such as a surf), may not

always be so, is a painful truth I had to learn from personal

experience. I have not yet had the THR done (this Monday! Aaaaah!) so

I am speaking theoretically here still. But I hope it works out for

me.

So, Trudy (for one)...I don't know your specific hip situation...but

perhaps this email will help? It's not like it's a surf job or

nothing. I also posted something a bit earlier about m/m thrs, though

you probably already know that information.

Rick, your thoughts on this?

Guenevere

[Guest guest]

> Dear All,

>

> I have been called a surface hippy at heart (that is from Rick

West,

> I think). I do not qualify for a surf job, sad to say, because not

> only do I have OA but I also have aseptic necrosis AND bone

deformity

> AND improper biomechanics stemming from an infection in my hip

> secondary to meningitis when I was a baby.

>

> I was very set on a surf job, and wanted one at *all* costs. I have

> slowly learned, however, that surfs are not for everyone

>

Guenevere,

Thanks for the thoughts. I haven't given up completely but I did

find out last week that going abroad is out of the question for me.

That was quite hard to take. So, it's USA, with insurance or a THR

for me. No matter what, I'll always be a surfacehippy at heart. I

may just have worn out too soon to be able to have two.

Do you know if there is that insurance trouble with the biomet

study? Lee mentioned it to me the last time I talked to her and it

would definitely be my 2nd choice. It's just the blasted insurance

that's driving me nuts. I know the procedure would pass judgement

for all the OS' out there. Just wondering their thoughts about large

femoral heads. I suppose that will be another " bias " hurdle to jump

over. I also really would like to go to SC for surgery. That

operation beats anything in my hometown. In fact I think it is A+.

To get a THR from Gross (or any of the surf doctors)would be the best

I could get.

So, I'll be counting the days with you till you become a

true " hippy " . I wouldn't be a all worried about going under the

knife with Mont. His reputation preceeds him.

Trudy

[Guest guest]

I, too, had my heart set on a surf job but in the final analysis, I was

unable to qualify. My doctor, Dr. Kennedy in Sarasota, Fl was apprehensive

since I had a hip joint deformity due to having polio as a baby. He sent my

x-rays to Dr. Mont and apparently a the team participating in the US FDA

studies discussed my case on a conference call and the consensus was my

chances of a successful surf job was much less than a " normal " candidate. My

position was that if I didn't have the same chances as a normal patient then

I didn't want to do it. Therefore, I had a THR on Oct. 4 and here it is Nov.

7 and I feel great. Apparently, the group Dr. Kennedy is working with have

had four failures out of 80 surgeries and all four were on " iffy " cases.

Since I was obviously and " iffy " case I decided to do the conservative thing

and have the THR. I had a ceramic on ceramic with no cement which could last

25 years with proper conservation. I have to think that even if I have a

problem in 15 years the orthopedics will have come up with some new and

innovative way to resolve the problem. They are doing 160,000 THR each year

in the US so we are in a large group that will certainly continue to get the

attention of the innovators. Keep smiling and be grateful that we have an

alternative that still works very well.