BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?

Subject: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Mudlark
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 10:54 PM

I will be undergoing hip surgery in October and have a choice: conventional 8-12 inch incision, 80 min. operation with known excellent surgeon close to home; or, new mini-incision technique--4 inch incision, 35 min. operation, 3 hours from home, with surgeon who claims he has excellent reputation but I don't personally know anything about.

I am wary of the boastful personality of mini-incision guy, but I don't have to have dinner with him...if this is as good as he says it is, it really does reduce rehab time, a consideration as I live alone.

If anybody has any experience with this relatively new mini-incision technique for total hip replacement, I could sure use some input. Thanks.

nancy

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:04 PM

A general observation: where "mini" is an option and you're in the right kind of health and body type to do it (critical factors!), it does help speed the recovery period.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: LadyJean
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:09 PM

What's your problem? If you have degenerative arthritis, go with the traditional form. If you're young, and your bones are growing, you could consider the mini.
What I do know, having seen my mother through three hip replacements (One of them didn't work, the Dr. did a new style, no cement replacement, which, as mother had degenerative arthritis, flopped.) is DO YOUR EXERCISES!!!!!!!
Mother's doctor told her to do them as steadily as she practiced her religion. Mother said she wasn't very religious, so she'd do them more.   
The best Irish step dancing I ever saw was mother after her second hip replacement. Michael Flatley's technique may be better, but I never had more pleasure watching anyone dance.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Amos
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:23 PM

See if you can track down some customers from Mini-me and hear what they have to say?


A

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 04 Sep 03 - 11:42 PM

With the neglagence lawsuits against CenterPulse and the attempted takeover of them by Zimmer and the new options with Synthes-Stratec, and even more importantly, the new porcelin/ceramic technology.....

Perhaps, you might want to consider putting the operation off for another 18 months.

Its YOUR life and YOUR body....haste has led to waste....and the consolidation of companies across continents is crucial at this time....and the NEW technologies are nothing like those of three years ago.

What country are you in?

You should REALLY ask..."1. Who manufactors the replacment...2. When did you LAST recieve training in the manufactor's procedure....3. What is your "kick-back" from the company for using their parts?

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 12:21 AM

You are born as hip as you'll ever be. It isn't something you can replace.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: mooman
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 05:50 AM

Dear Mudlark,

Gargoyle makes a number of good points here.

The technologies in this sector (I work in medical technology though not with orthopaedics) are moving very fast and there are a number of new high-tech products beginning to appear. In general, minimally invasive surgery hugely improves recovery and rehab time but there are some important questions to ask

- is the replacement proven technology or is it new technology?
- what is the track record of the device being implanted?
- what is the success rate with the minimally-invasive technique?

Any good surgeon should be more than happy to discuss this with you.

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: GUEST,Dave Swan away from his desk
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 08:50 AM

Good questions for the surgeon. You should also ask the surgeon how many of these minis he has done. Not watched, not read about, but how man times he's been first durgeon on this procedure. Surgery is a technical task and surgeons get better with practice. They are also better able to adapt to unforseen circumstances, should things not progress as planned in the operating room.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 08:58 AM

Ask, ask, ask. Go to the library and research both techniques thoroughly. Do a complete web search. If you don't understand the language, buy a medical dictionary.

It's YOUR body and you have to live with the results. I was told by an ophthamologist that Lasik surgery would fix it so that I wouldn't need glasses -- Right, thought I, but laser surgery doesn't correct the problems I have, problems YOU told me about, and I'm outa here. I never went back to him. A hard sell all too often means ca$h to the person who operates, either now or in the future.

I don't want to be a practice dummy for surgery anymore than I have to be.

Ask, ask, ask. Research...and you can research the surgeon, too. Ask your librarian for help -- there's powerful little librarians haven't heard and less that they can't research.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From:
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 10:10 AM

Hi all

This is an interesting thread and is provding some useful information. I was told last week that I have been put on the waiting list for redconstructive surgery for my knee...they are going to break my leg just below my knee and reset my leg and my knee. They are hoping that this will prevent my knee dislocating and cut down on the amountthe bone is wearing away......this should put off the knee replacement I was told I would need by the time Im 30 for a few years..heres hoping!!

Good luck with your surgery Mudlark and I wish you a speedy recovery.

Khatt

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 10:13 AM

Well the life expectancy of a replacement hip joint is about 15 years, and as I'm only 60, I intend to put it off for a bit.
Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From:
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 10:32 AM

Im oly 23 and need to put it off for as long as possible!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Mudlark
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 01:02 PM

I'm on my way for a 3rd party consult...w/a surgeon who is not an ace, but who is personable and able to actually talk to a patient (not common among surgeons in my experience). Thanks very much for all your input, Gargolye, really apprciated actual names to research and ask questions about. Don't know that I can wait 18 months but that would produce vastly better results I could try. One thing I've learned so far is that if you are young enuf to possibly need another hip replacement, then the pressure fit type is preferable.

Don...Since I am old enough to have been hep when it was hip to be hep, maybe a hep replacement is in order...retro is in!

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Amos
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 01:20 PM

Good luck, M'lark!! Let us know what he says.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 05 Sep 03 - 01:44 PM

Mudlark:

You're hip enough for us!

Knowing where you live it's pretty hard to get second and third opinions without an overnight trip but this is a major league decision. So, if it were one of us we'd be asking every possible medical person for their opinion. One thing we'd do is ask the conventional surgeon why he doesn't do the mini technique. Could be he just hasn't been trained in it but it might be some other reason.

Also, work the internet. In the last few years we have researched several medical topics this way and wound up knowing more than our family doctor about them. We wouldn't be surprised if you uncovered pictures of both kinds of surgery (which you might not want to look at). Not only is there lots of info on the web but at least some of it is cutting edge (pun intended).

Finally, please let us know how we can help you when you actually have the surgery. Do you need transportation? Can we shop and/or cook for you? Can we come over and cheer you up by singing a few songs (this will either cheer you up when we arrive or when we leave). We're not exactly neighbors but we're close enough to help.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: Hip replacement v. hip reconstruction, etc.
From: Genie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 03:22 PM

Hey, Mudlark, I know it's been 6 years and that hip replacement (and resurfacing) techniques have evolved since 2003, but in a way that makes your personal experience more valuable as input.

I hope your hip replacement was successful and that you've had good experiences over the years since then. I'm curious which procedure you chose and how it's worked out for you.

I'm considering a hip replacement (or resurfacing) but finding it hard to get good, clear, consistent answers to my questions about things like expected post-op mobility, length of recovery and rehab time, risk of complications, etc.   So I am very much interested in hearing from people (especially other musicians) who have had their hips, knees, etc. reconstructed.

How long does it take before you can go back to things like driving (especially driving moderately long distances), gardening and other yard work, household construction projects, dancing, doing hour-long music gigs with a guitar, etc.?    Do you have as much flexibility in your legs and spine a few months after such surgeries as before?

I guess I could have started a separate thread, but there are some advantages to consolidating discussions like this.

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 03:40 PM

I was going to say go to a university type hospital..Genie..in your case OHSU. Ask around, do your research. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Genie
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 06:19 PM

Well, right now I'm with Kaiser (going on 30 years with them), unless I drop "Medicare Advantage" next year, in which case I'll just be on Medicare.
(Which is another discussion topic. Some say that plain ol' Medicare gives you more services and/or for less $ than Medicare Advantage.   Maybe I'll ask for opinions on that later.)

You may have a good point, though, mg. I used to have a lot of dental work and optometry done via university teaching clinics, and they did wonderful work (with all those instructors looking over the students' shoulders).

And I am doing research, including asking around. This thread is part of that. I really am interested in hearing about other people's experiences, good and not so good.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Deckman
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 07:28 PM

Genie ... in a nutshell, with two new hips under my belt ("under my belt" ... where else would they be?) I recommend:

Get a good doctor.

Get the toal replacement.

Get on your feet soon ... the sooner the better. Good luck, bob

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Gurney
Date: 28 Sep 09 - 09:14 PM

Mudlark, I've posted about Her Indoors' operation on the 'Total hip...' thread on this page. She has a 6" scar. we Googled the surgeon (before!)and he has two pages all to himself, with an impressive range of talents, posted by others. Very comforting.

Subject: RE: BS: Hip replacement-mini or conventional?
From: Genie
Date: 29 Sep 09 - 02:56 AM

Heck, Gurney, I've got an over 13" scar on my right shin from a an operation decades ago. If ONLY scars were the only, or even just the worst, remnants of surgeries. LOL