Unfortunately there are not many docs doing this newest procedure. In fact it was just OK'ed by the FDA this past March, but has been done in clinical trials in the US for a while. Of course, it has been approved and widely used in Europe and elsewhere outside of the US for a while.
I recently looked into Hip Resurfacing also. My research actually started by noticing something in the Health section of the local paper where a Dr. Vincent Burke was doing a clinical trial on Hip Resurfacing here in town and was looking for patients to see if they would be good candidates. I had also done an internet search under "hip resurfacing" and found what Protestis company's are making this device, as not all of them are. My research showed only two are out of the many companies that make artificial joints. They are "Smith and Nephew" and "Biomet". Dr. Burke, I found out, is using the Biomet device...as is two other doctors....but that was it....only those three in all of South Florida. The Biomet device is all metal....and very large and heavy...built very well with a large "femoral head". Upon consultation and a good look at my xrays, it was determined that due to my overly deformed femoral head, that I would not be a candidate. Remember, this is a bone sparing technique in that what the doc does is reshape your femoral head...then re-cap it with a metal cup, ie: making it fully round again. Of course the normal cup device is inserted into your pelvic bone area for the new re-capped head to swivel into.
In essence, its just like a full THR, but without the stem into the thigh bone. The femoral head is rather large in the Biomet device....and I like that, because it allows for someone who is more activity oriented, to continue to do those type of things, ie" running and impact type exercise. However, it is a metal on metal device, so one must consider the "metal-ions" leaching into your bloodstream and the theoretical complications that may come from that. There are, of course, no long term studies on this device, but enough medical evidence that chomium metal ions DO IN FACT get into your bloodstream. I
My dad died last year of Altzeimers, and it is suggested in some medical circles that this horrible disease may be caused by all the metal in our bodies that we have accumulate over the years from such things as simple as drinking from a metal soda can, to metal amalgamate tooth fillings, to the leaching of metal ions from the pots and pans we all cook in every day.
I am somewhat uncomfortable with putting any more metal in my body than I absolutely have to. The metal on metal desing is something that one has to consider, especially if you have dementia, parkinsons or altzhemers desease in your family history. I do....thus I have decided to not have a metal on metal design in my hips as the eventual wear and tear of metal on metal can only lead to more metal in my blood than I want.
I have chosen to go with the Zimmer product of prostesis, from a very skilled surgeon in my area. He uses, and suggest for me, the ceramic on poly cup design. The poly's now-a-days are much better, I am told, and read, than the older ones used even a few years ago. They last a lot longer now. And the ceramic heads are of such quality and strengh that they rival that hardness and in some cases, are even harder than some metals. But ceramics can, over time, scratch....and thus chip away as a polyethelene cup....eventually.
Perhaps the best design, in my research these past several weeks, is a Smith and Nephew product called "Oxinium". It basically, from what I read, is a super hardened metal alloy, with a "ceramic like" coating on it, thus impervious to the scratches or potential chips, or cracks, that can happen in a normal ceramic design. This to me, sounds like the best of both worlds, along with the latest polyethelene cups. However, finding physican who:
1. Uses that design
2. Is very experienced...over 300 ops per year
3. Is loca to your residence and
4. Takes your HMO
....is difficult to find....at least for me. There are some....but then you have to deal with so many other outside factors....like...can I get the procedure in the hospital I want....and during the time I have off.....so many questions.
It's best to do your research on the prostesis you want first....then find a great doctor in your area who you like who uses that particular device and who you are comfortable with and his office staff and the plan they have for your PT afterwards....and then visist several docs before making your decision. I...like you...am still searching...but narrowing the field down for...hopefully....bilateral hip replacing in Novemver.
Unfortunately, due to my advanced deterioration of my hips, I am not a candidate, as I said earlier, for Hip Resurfacing. But I was very impressed with the idea of 'bone sparring', as I don't like the idea of whacking off my two femoral heads. I did not like the doctor as much, but perhaps it was because he was younger or...we clashed a bit because I knew alot...and asked alot of questions. In my opinion, if a doctor gets annoyed with the questions you ask him...its' too bad. Just find a different doctor.
United Kingdom
