RE: anyone else go in for resurf / wake up THR?

[Guest guest]

Just the fact that he said " in case he would need to go for a THR " means that

you don't have 100% certaint going in. No surgeon should guarantee 100%

anything until he really sees what the deal is with his own eyes during surgery.

Perhaps the stateside doctors are just a bit more upfront about managing

expectations because of our overly litigious society.... On the positive side

here,

keep in mind that surgeons participating in these U.S. trials are only really

interested in taking on those patients who have the greatest chances of

getting successfully resurfaced. Neither the surgeons nor the device

manufacturers

want failures.

In a message dated 06/30/2004 3:08:08 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

kinwitted@... writes:

> He said in case he would need to go for a THR

[Guest guest]

Dear Toby,

Thankyou so much for your most touching post. You've talked about what

was so difficult and how you are managing it. Of course, a revision to

a THR is what I am afraid of (I am waiting to see if I have an

infection, as I am still having too much pain at 7 months). Your

account of how good you are now was so encouraging. And I know how

disappointed you are at the same time. I am sure your positive spirit

will help your THR last as long as possible.

Eleanor

anyone else go in for resurf / wake up THR?

Like probably a lot of prospective resurfacers I was told my OS

(Dr.

Mont) that while I was a good candidate for a resurfacing he would

ultimately make the final decision in the operation. I'd known for a

few years that I had osteoarthritis in my right hip and that surgery

was going to be the only solution. The first couple docs I saw said

total hip replacement was my only option. Finding out about hip

resurfacing was the best news I had heard since I was first diagnosed

with OA.

I remember reading the hospital stay diary on Thunderball Hip

(http://www.thunderballhip.50megs.com/custom.html) and getting the

sweats when I reached the " SCREWED UP MOMENT " . My experience was

similar except for one important detail. The part where he finds out

that the nurse was wrong about him getting a THR. I woke up from

surgery with my mom there telling me that Dr. Mont had tried but was

unable to affix the resurfacing implant to his satisfaction and had

revised to a ceramic on ceramic THR. I won't be proud here; I started

bawling. That was to my mind the worst possible outcome of that

surgery. I knew it was a possibility but I just hoped for the best and

prepared for the worst.

The technical reason given to me by Dr. Mont for the change was

that

the acetabular component wouldn't hold solidly. Maybe my bones were

too soft? I don't know. Apparently to make it hold he would have to

use screws to hold it. As of right now, there are plenty of cups with

screw holes to match a THR femoral component but none to match the

resurf femoral component. He expects that design revision to work its

way down the pipeline soon but unfortunately for me, it's not here yet.

Now before this seems like too much of a downer I should say that

the

point of this post is not to scare anyone. Yes I was very bummed out

about not getting my first choice implant. But at the time I was told

I was too heavily medicated and too busy mending my body to care. Now

I'm less than a week away from my 6-week follow-up appointment and I

feel great. I have NO pain in my hip joint and more range of movement

than I've had in years (keeping in mind the movement restrictions which

are the same regardless of your implant). I'm shocked that I have such

a natural feeling joint given the size of what is in me.

Considering that I am living with what I believed to be the worst

possible outcome I feel really really good. Dr. Mont optimistically

gives my implant a lifespan of 20 years with the sole caveat that I

don't start running marathons. That's too short for my liking but to

keep it in perspective, Odysseus got home in less time than that. So

it's not like I won't get plenty of enjoyment out of it in the

meantime. I know that given my age (28) I will certainly need a

revision or 3 and that yeah, when that time comes I may have some

bitterness at having gotten a THR so young. But for now I'm too busy

feeling good and looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer and

years to come of happy pain-free mobility. If only I could do

something about these damned itchy TEDs.

- Tobias, c/c THR Dr Mont 5/27/04

PS. For prospective patients of Dr Mont I have good news. He has

recently changed his technique and is now using a smaller incision to

perform the operation. Mine is only 8cm long! I expressed a moment of

doubt to his colleague about this and he told me 'Don't worry, stable

fixation is still our number one priority. If we have to open you up

further to get a good handle on it we won't hesitate to do so. It's

just we no longer have to.'

PPS. For those who haven't had a catheter before I would just like to

say that that was the single most unpleasant & uncomfortable part of

the whole hospital experience. (Except for the whole not getting a

resurfacing part. ;-) )

[Guest guest]

Toby,

Thanks for your post and update. I'm scheduled for bilateral

resufacing with Dr. Mont, right hip on 7/19/04 and left hip on

7/26/04. I still need to discuss with him what he'll use if he

can't resurface. I never thought about a catheter. I've never had

one. It sounds awful. Best of luck on your recovery.

Randy

> Dear Toby,

>

> Thankyou so much for your most touching post. You've talked about

what

> was so difficult and how you are managing it. Of course, a

revision to

> a THR is what I am afraid of (I am waiting to see if I have an

> infection, as I am still having too much pain at 7 months). Your

> account of how good you are now was so encouraging. And I know how

> disappointed you are at the same time. I am sure your positive

spirit

> will help your THR last as long as possible.

>

> Eleanor

>

> anyone else go in for resurf / wake up THR?

>

> Like probably a lot of prospective resurfacers I was told my

OS

> (Dr.

> Mont) that while I was a good candidate for a resurfacing he would

> ultimately make the final decision in the operation. I'd known

for a

> few years that I had osteoarthritis in my right hip and that

surgery

> was going to be the only solution. The first couple docs I saw

said

> total hip replacement was my only option. Finding out about hip

> resurfacing was the best news I had heard since I was first

diagnosed

> with OA.

> I remember reading the hospital stay diary on Thunderball

Hip

> (http://www.thunderballhip.50megs.com/custom.html) and getting the

> sweats when I reached the " SCREWED UP MOMENT " . My experience was

> similar except for one important detail. The part where he finds

out

> that the nurse was wrong about him getting a THR. I woke up from

> surgery with my mom there telling me that Dr. Mont had tried but

was

> unable to affix the resurfacing implant to his satisfaction and

had

> revised to a ceramic on ceramic THR. I won't be proud here; I

started

> bawling. That was to my mind the worst possible outcome of that

> surgery. I knew it was a possibility but I just hoped for the

best and

> prepared for the worst.

> The technical reason given to me by Dr. Mont for the change

was

> that

> the acetabular component wouldn't hold solidly. Maybe my bones

were

> too soft? I don't know. Apparently to make it hold he would have

to

> use screws to hold it. As of right now, there are plenty of cups

with

> screw holes to match a THR femoral component but none to match the

> resurf femoral component. He expects that design revision to work

its

> way down the pipeline soon but unfortunately for me, it's not here

yet.

> Now before this seems like too much of a downer I should say

that

> the

> point of this post is not to scare anyone. Yes I was very bummed

out

> about not getting my first choice implant. But at the time I was

told

> I was too heavily medicated and too busy mending my body to care.

Now

> I'm less than a week away from my 6-week follow-up appointment and

I

> feel great. I have NO pain in my hip joint and more range of

movement

> than I've had in years (keeping in mind the movement restrictions

which

> are the same regardless of your implant). I'm shocked that I have

such

> a natural feeling joint given the size of what is in me.

> Considering that I am living with what I believed to be the

worst

> possible outcome I feel really really good. Dr. Mont

optimistically

> gives my implant a lifespan of 20 years with the sole caveat that

I

> don't start running marathons. That's too short for my liking but

to

> keep it in perspective, Odysseus got home in less time than that.

So

> it's not like I won't get plenty of enjoyment out of it in the

> meantime. I know that given my age (28) I will certainly need a

> revision or 3 and that yeah, when that time comes I may have some

> bitterness at having gotten a THR so young. But for now I'm too

busy

> feeling good and looking forward to enjoying the rest of the

summer and

> years to come of happy pain-free mobility. If only I could do

> something about these damned itchy TEDs.

>

>

> - Tobias, c/c THR Dr Mont 5/27/04

>

> PS. For prospective patients of Dr Mont I have good news. He has

> recently changed his technique and is now using a smaller incision

to

> perform the operation. Mine is only 8cm long! I expressed a

moment of

> doubt to his colleague about this and he told me 'Don't worry,

stable

> fixation is still our number one priority. If we have to open you

up

> further to get a good handle on it we won't hesitate to do so.

It's

> just we no longer have to.'

>

> PPS. For those who haven't had a catheter before I would just

like to

> say that that was the single most unpleasant & uncomfortable part

of

> the whole hospital experience. (Except for the whole not getting a

> resurfacing part. ;-) )

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Curious, in a way, that this should come back around... in regard to

Dr. Mont. When I talked to Peggy , as I was first researching

resurfacing in March, she told me the reason she went to Belgium was

that she couldn't get assurance from Stateside docs that she wouldn't

wake up with a pair of matching THR's, after having gone to sleep

expecting to waken resurfed hips. It's one of the reasons she

suggested that I try Dr. de Smet first, and not JRI. I'm still

trying to make it happen in LA, but insurance considerations may make

Belgium the only real option.

With the ceramic/ceramic of MoM THR, I'd guess stability is less a

problem... the remaining platform for future revisions.

All the best...

Alan

> > Toby,

> > Thanks for your post and update. I'm scheduled for bilateral

> > resufacing with Dr. Mont, right hip on 7/19/04 and left hip on

> > 7/26/04. I still need to discuss with him what he'll use if he

> > can't resurface. I never thought about a catheter. I've never

had

> > one. It sounds awful. Best of luck on your recovery.

> > Randy

> >

[Guest guest]

Randy:

Don't sweat the catheter - Dr. Mont did my brother's hip and when I

visted him in the hospital on the third day, he told me that the

catherter was no big deal.

Ken

> Toby,

> Thanks for your post and update. I'm scheduled for bilateral

> resufacing with Dr. Mont, right hip on 7/19/04 and left hip on

> 7/26/04. I still need to discuss with him what he'll use if he

> can't resurface. I never thought about a catheter. I've never

had

> one. It sounds awful. Best of luck on your recovery.

> Randy

>

> > Dear Toby,

> >

> > Thankyou so much for your most touching post. You've talked

about

> what

> > was so difficult and how you are managing it. Of course, a

> revision to

> > a THR is what I am afraid of (I am waiting to see if I have an

> > infection, as I am still having too much pain at 7 months). Your

> > account of how good you are now was so encouraging. And I know

how

> > disappointed you are at the same time. I am sure your positive

> spirit

> > will help your THR last as long as possible.

> >

> > Eleanor

> >

> > anyone else go in for resurf / wake up

THR?

> >

> > Like probably a lot of prospective resurfacers I was told

my

> OS

> > (Dr.

> > Mont) that while I was a good candidate for a resurfacing he

would

> > ultimately make the final decision in the operation. I'd known

> for a

> > few years that I had osteoarthritis in my right hip and that

> surgery

> > was going to be the only solution. The first couple docs I saw

> said

> > total hip replacement was my only option. Finding out about hip

> > resurfacing was the best news I had heard since I was first

> diagnosed

> > with OA.

> > I remember reading the hospital stay diary on Thunderball

> Hip

> > (http://www.thunderballhip.50megs.com/custom.html) and getting

the

> > sweats when I reached the " SCREWED UP MOMENT " . My experience

was

> > similar except for one important detail. The part where he

finds

> out

> > that the nurse was wrong about him getting a THR. I woke up

from

> > surgery with my mom there telling me that Dr. Mont had tried but

> was

> > unable to affix the resurfacing implant to his satisfaction and

> had

> > revised to a ceramic on ceramic THR. I won't be proud here; I

> started

> > bawling. That was to my mind the worst possible outcome of that

> > surgery. I knew it was a possibility but I just hoped for the

> best and

> > prepared for the worst.

> > The technical reason given to me by Dr. Mont for the

change

> was

> > that

> > the acetabular component wouldn't hold solidly. Maybe my bones

> were

> > too soft? I don't know. Apparently to make it hold he would

have

> to

> > use screws to hold it. As of right now, there are plenty of

cups

> with

> > screw holes to match a THR femoral component but none to match

the

> > resurf femoral component. He expects that design revision to

work

> its

> > way down the pipeline soon but unfortunately for me, it's not

here

> yet.

> > Now before this seems like too much of a downer I should

say

> that

> > the

> > point of this post is not to scare anyone. Yes I was very

bummed

> out

> > about not getting my first choice implant. But at the time I

was

> told

> > I was too heavily medicated and too busy mending my body to

care.

> Now

> > I'm less than a week away from my 6-week follow-up appointment

and

> I

> > feel great. I have NO pain in my hip joint and more range of

> movement

> > than I've had in years (keeping in mind the movement

restrictions

> which

> > are the same regardless of your implant). I'm shocked that I

have

> such

> > a natural feeling joint given the size of what is in me.

> > Considering that I am living with what I believed to be

the

> worst

> > possible outcome I feel really really good. Dr. Mont

> optimistically

> > gives my implant a lifespan of 20 years with the sole caveat

that

> I

> > don't start running marathons. That's too short for my liking

but

> to

> > keep it in perspective, Odysseus got home in less time than

that.

> So

> > it's not like I won't get plenty of enjoyment out of it in the

> > meantime. I know that given my age (28) I will certainly need a

> > revision or 3 and that yeah, when that time comes I may have

some

> > bitterness at having gotten a THR so young. But for now I'm too

> busy

> > feeling good and looking forward to enjoying the rest of the

> summer and

> > years to come of happy pain-free mobility. If only I could do

> > something about these damned itchy TEDs.

> >

> >

> > - Tobias, c/c THR Dr Mont 5/27/04

> >

> > PS. For prospective patients of Dr Mont I have good news. He

has

> > recently changed his technique and is now using a smaller

incision

> to

> > perform the operation. Mine is only 8cm long! I expressed a

> moment of

> > doubt to his colleague about this and he told me 'Don't worry,

> stable

> > fixation is still our number one priority. If we have to open

you

> up

> > further to get a good handle on it we won't hesitate to do so.

> It's

> > just we no longer have to.'

> >

> > PPS. For those who haven't had a catheter before I would just

> like to

> > say that that was the single most unpleasant & uncomfortable

part

> of

> > the whole hospital experience. (Except for the whole not getting

a

> > resurfacing part. ;-) )

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Randy:

Don't sweat the catheter - Dr. Mont did my brother's hip and when I

visted him in the hospital on the third day, he told me that the

catherter was no big deal.

Ken

> Toby,

> Thanks for your post and update. I'm scheduled for bilateral

> resufacing with Dr. Mont, right hip on 7/19/04 and left hip on

> 7/26/04. I still need to discuss with him what he'll use if he

> can't resurface. I never thought about a catheter. I've never

had

> one. It sounds awful. Best of luck on your recovery.

> Randy

>

> > Dear Toby,

> >

> > Thankyou so much for your most touching post. You've talked

about

> what

> > was so difficult and how you are managing it. Of course, a

> revision to

> > a THR is what I am afraid of (I am waiting to see if I have an

> > infection, as I am still having too much pain at 7 months). Your

> > account of how good you are now was so encouraging. And I know

how

> > disappointed you are at the same time. I am sure your positive

> spirit

> > will help your THR last as long as possible.

> >

> > Eleanor

> >

> > anyone else go in for resurf / wake up

THR?

> >

> > Like probably a lot of prospective resurfacers I was told

my

> OS

> > (Dr.

> > Mont) that while I was a good candidate for a resurfacing he

would

> > ultimately make the final decision in the operation. I'd known

> for a

> > few years that I had osteoarthritis in my right hip and that

> surgery

> > was going to be the only solution. The first couple docs I saw

> said

> > total hip replacement was my only option. Finding out about hip

> > resurfacing was the best news I had heard since I was first

> diagnosed

> > with OA.

> > I remember reading the hospital stay diary on Thunderball

> Hip

> > (http://www.thunderballhip.50megs.com/custom.html) and getting

the

> > sweats when I reached the " SCREWED UP MOMENT " . My experience

was

> > similar except for one important detail. The part where he

finds

> out

> > that the nurse was wrong about him getting a THR. I woke up

from

> > surgery with my mom there telling me that Dr. Mont had tried but

> was

> > unable to affix the resurfacing implant to his satisfaction and

> had

> > revised to a ceramic on ceramic THR. I won't be proud here; I

> started

> > bawling. That was to my mind the worst possible outcome of that

> > surgery. I knew it was a possibility but I just hoped for the

> best and

> > prepared for the worst.

> > The technical reason given to me by Dr. Mont for the

change

> was

> > that

> > the acetabular component wouldn't hold solidly. Maybe my bones

> were

> > too soft? I don't know. Apparently to make it hold he would

have

> to

> > use screws to hold it. As of right now, there are plenty of

cups

> with

> > screw holes to match a THR femoral component but none to match

the

> > resurf femoral component. He expects that design revision to

work

> its

> > way down the pipeline soon but unfortunately for me, it's not

here

> yet.

> > Now before this seems like too much of a downer I should

say

> that

> > the

> > point of this post is not to scare anyone. Yes I was very

bummed

> out

> > about not getting my first choice implant. But at the time I

was

> told

> > I was too heavily medicated and too busy mending my body to

care.

> Now

> > I'm less than a week away from my 6-week follow-up appointment

and

> I

> > feel great. I have NO pain in my hip joint and more range of

> movement

> > than I've had in years (keeping in mind the movement

restrictions

> which

> > are the same regardless of your implant). I'm shocked that I

have

> such

> > a natural feeling joint given the size of what is in me.

> > Considering that I am living with what I believed to be

the

> worst

> > possible outcome I feel really really good. Dr. Mont

> optimistically

> > gives my implant a lifespan of 20 years with the sole caveat

that

> I

> > don't start running marathons. That's too short for my liking

but

> to

> > keep it in perspective, Odysseus got home in less time than

that.

> So

> > it's not like I won't get plenty of enjoyment out of it in the

> > meantime. I know that given my age (28) I will certainly need a

> > revision or 3 and that yeah, when that time comes I may have

some

> > bitterness at having gotten a THR so young. But for now I'm too

> busy

> > feeling good and looking forward to enjoying the rest of the

> summer and

> > years to come of happy pain-free mobility. If only I could do

> > something about these damned itchy TEDs.

> >

> >

> > - Tobias, c/c THR Dr Mont 5/27/04

> >

> > PS. For prospective patients of Dr Mont I have good news. He

has

> > recently changed his technique and is now using a smaller

incision

> to

> > perform the operation. Mine is only 8cm long! I expressed a

> moment of

> > doubt to his colleague about this and he told me 'Don't worry,

> stable

> > fixation is still our number one priority. If we have to open

you

> up

> > further to get a good handle on it we won't hesitate to do so.

> It's

> > just we no longer have to.'

> >

> > PPS. For those who haven't had a catheter before I would just

> like to

> > say that that was the single most unpleasant & uncomfortable

part

> of

> > the whole hospital experience. (Except for the whole not getting

a

> > resurfacing part. ;-) )

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >