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Saturday, August 30. 2008
Nanotechnology may allow hip implants to sense growth of
new boneLink
http://www.foresight.org/nanodot/?p=2788
Growing multiwalled carbon nanotubes on a titanium
surface enhances the electrochemical behavior of the
surface in a way that might lead to better implants
for hip replacements. The nanotech-prepared titanium
surface serves as a sensor to detect bone formation.
As reported by James Tyrrell at nanotechweb.org
(requires free registration) "Nanotubes
on the look out for new bone".
Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) grown
in pores on a titanium (Ti) surface are ideal
for detecting bone growth, according to Thomas
Webster and his team at Brown University, US [Nanotechnology
abstract]. By adding the biosensing
structure to the surface of orthopedic implants,
the inventors hope to monitor the success of
procedures such as hip replacements in situ.
Poor adhesion to the surrounding bone is the
most common cause of hip replacement failure.
Currently, the diagnosis of new bone growth can
be problematic as today’s imaging techniques
each have their own limitations and difficulties
— something that Webster and his colleagues hope
to overcome.
"The idea is that our sensor will communicate
the status of the surrounding tissue via radio
frequencies to a handheld device," Webster told nanotechweb.org.
"In fact, we’ve taken things a step further and
coated our sensor with a drug-containing polymer
layer that can be degraded to release bone
building agents on demand."
…Next, the team plans to begin animal
studies. "It’s a big and important jump to
determine if the sensors will work in an
animal," said Webster. "We’ll be using rats and
analyzing whether new bone growth can be
measured and then controlled."
Friday, August 29. 2008
Distribution of Chromium and Cobalt Ions in Various Blood Fractions After
Resurfacing Hip Arthroplasty
Leonard R. Walter MBBS(Syd), FRACS,
FAOrthA, Ed Marel MBBS(Syd), FRCS Ed (Orth),
FRACS, FAOrthAa,
Richard Harbury MBBS(Syd), FRACS, FAOrthAa
and Jenny Wearne RN aPeninsula Orthopaedics Research
Institute, DEE WHY NSW 2099, Australia
Received 28 November 2006;
accepted 7 July 2007
Abstract
The most appropriate blood fraction for the
measurement of metal ions in patients with
metal-on-metal implants is controversial. We
compared chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) ion
levels in 29 patients after unilateral hip
resurfacing with a size 54-mm femoral Birmingham
Hip Resurfacing Prosthesis (Smith and Nephew,
London, UK). All had well-functioning
arthroplasties between 5 and 59 months after
implantation. Ion levels were measured in serum, plasma, red cells, and whole
blood in each patient. Our results indicate that only very minor amounts of Cr
and Co are associated with red blood cells, with most being associated with
serum/plasma. Previous studies using corrosion to produce the ion load have
showed a predominance of Cr in the red blood cells. They have also shown that
the cellular uptake of Cr is an indicator of its valence. This difference in
distribution with our results is indirect evidence that the Cr released from
wear of this implant is probably in the more benign trivalent form. It also
suggests that most of the metal loss from a normally wearing bearing may be from
wear rather than corrosion. If blood is to be used to assess rates of wear and
systemic ion levels, then serum gives a better reflection of the true levels
than red blood cells.
Monday, August 18. 2008
8/18/08
Like most people, you probably want to keep your body parts for as long as
possible. Innovative hip and knee surgery at San Joaquin Community Hospital (SJCH)
can help you do just that. It's called resurfacing, and it's life-changing.
Bakersfield, CA (eMediaWorld) August 18, 2008 -- Like most people, you probably
want to keep your body parts for as long as possible. After all, God gave them
to you for a reason. Innovative hip and knee surgery at San Joaquin Community
Hospital (SJCH) can help you do just that. It's called resurfacing, and it's
life-changing.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 383,500
hip replacements and 550,800 knee replacements in the United States in 2005, and
the numbers are rising. You don't have to be one of them.
Birmingham Hip Resurfacing
Gary Shepard, a 56-year-old from Bakersfield, has been athletic most of his
life. It took its toll. He's been in pain for countless years, limping and
walking at a 45 degree slant. He couldn't even cross his legs, so in 2007 he had
Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR™).
"The change is dramatic. It feels like my own hips. I walk straight, I've grown
two inches, and even my knees don't swell anymore. People can't believe it when
they see me---I feel fantastic," says Shepard.
Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint that unites two separate bones---femur
(thighbone) and pelvis. The femoral head is a ball that fits into the pelvis
socket. In the standard total hip replacement (THR), ball and socket are
completely removed and replaced. The femoral shaft (thighbone's long part) is
hollowed out and a spike, which holds the ball, is pressed into the bone. The
spike can loosen and cause bone wear.
It's completely different with resurfacing. The femoral shaft is never
disturbed---there is no spike. A minimal amount of the ball is shaved and then
fitted snuggly with a smooth metal cap. The socket is shaped to fit a polished
metal cup that the bone naturally takes on as its own.
Resurfacing preserves bone, improves range of motion, and gives you freedom to
have a highly active, normal life. And that's a great thing.
Resurfacing was available years ago; it didn't last long. Technology and metal
implants were far less sophisticated than today. Patients can now expect
superior results with new medically-advanced implants.
In 2007, BHR™ celebrated its 10th anniversary. It has been used in 26 countries
with a worldwide success rate of 97.2 percent. The FDA approved its use in the
United States in 2006.
"With BHR™, I remove a lot less bone than in hip replacement. Oftentimes it's
only 10 percent of the femoral head," says Tom Ferro, MD, FAAOS, orthopedic
surgeon. "Patients experience less pain and report that it feels like their own
hip. Resurfacing patients appear to feel normal very quickly, frequently by the
second day after surgery.
"Another huge advantage to preserving bone is that you have more to work with
later if your hips are injured."
It's just a fact of life: once bone is removed, you can't put it back.
Ferro, the leader in BHR™, is one of approximately 50 surgeons nationwide who
perform this procedure. It requires considerable expertise in resurfacing.
Although his clinic, the Bone & Joint Center, is located in Arroyo Grande and
San Luis Obispo, Ferro also performs BHR™ in Bakersfield but only at SJCH.
"The hospital is extremely receptive to state-of-the-art procedures, and they
have the patient's best interests at heart. It's important that patients have
the finest technology used by the best people and in a highly efficient
system---that's San Joaquin," says Ferro.
This procedure is recommended for active people under 66 years of age with good
bone quality. There are some exceptions. Always talk to a physician to identify
your best options.
"After seeing the huge change in me, friends and relatives are considering this
for themselves. My wife spent a lot of time researching BHR™. I highly recommend
it, and you can't do much better than Dr. Ferro," says Shepard.
Monday, August 18. 2008
By Wouter Hoeberechts
8/18/2008
Experts in medical tourism, WorldMed Assist's mission is to improve lives by
helping patients receive high quality medical treatment abroad at affordable
prices.
Pioneertown, CA, Aug 18, 2008 - Steve Berg returned from a 15-day trip for hip
resurfacing in India, a trip that only four months earlier he'd never imagined.
He also never thought he'd be joining the fast growing ranks of medical tourists
traveling overseas from North America for surgery they can't afford at home.
Last October, Steve Berg went to his chiropractor for an alignment to alleviate
hip pain that caused him to pop up to 16 ibuprofens a day. But x-rays soon
confirmed the chiropractor's initial suspicion: severe arthritis, not a
chiropractic adjustment, would require surgery. The diagnosis was confirmed by
an orthopedic surgeon. He was then hit with further bad news: hip replacement
anywhere near home would cost about $60,000 because he was among the 47 million
uninsured Americans forced to gamble that they'll never need serious medical
attention.
He didn't have $60,000.
He hit the internet, and learned about an alternative to hip replacement -
called hip resurfacing - that would provide him higher range of motion, shorter
recovery time and the chance for future hip surgery should the arthritis cause
further joint deterioration.
Berg, whose career restoring vintage motorcycles requires lots of mobility,
chose Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (http://www.worldmedassist.com/Hip_Resurfacing_Surgery_India.html),
but soon learned it's impossible to find an experienced doctor in the U.S.
because it's a procedure only recently (2006) approved by the FDA. Berg found
that several countries overseas had been resurfacing hips for a lot longer than
in the U.S.
"There's a steep learning curve with this procedure, and I didn't want anyone in
the U.S. practicing on me. When you look at our hospitals, you see a very high
percentage of doctors from India, so I decided to go to the source!" Berg
chuckled.
"First, I tried to arrange surgery in India myself, but I got so tangled up with
all the options and paperwork, that I almost gave up," Berg recalled. "Finally,
I landed on http://www.WorldMedAssist.com and was impressed with their
information about hip resurfacing. I e-mailed them, and they immediately called
me back to talk about details. I told them, "You're hired! Line up my options
for India, and let's push this through as fast as we can."
With options in hand, Berg chose Wockhardt in Mumbai because their surgeon, Dr.
Malhan, had done a large number of hip surgeries and is UK board certified.
WorldMed Assist forwarded all Berg's records to Dr. Malhan, who then assured
Berg he was a good candidate for hip resurfacing.
"WorldMed Assist quoted me a total cost of just over $10,000, including hip
surgery, hotel, a two-week hospital stay and all my travel - about 1/6th the
price I faced in the U.S. That price even included dental work I'd been putting
off for 7 years. My decision was clear, and three weeks from the time I first
contacted WorldMed Assist, I was on a plane."
While recovering from surgery in a private hospital suite complete with a
refrigerator, visitor's couch, computer, cable TV and his own deluxe bathroom,
Berg met several other medical travelers. About a third had made their own
arrangements, as Berg had attempted to do; several others had used global
healthcare facilitators like WorldMed Assist.
"But no one had as clean an experience as I did," he said. "The biggest deal is
having handlers at home who line up people to lead you through the entire
overseas process. I told these other patients about WorldMed Assist's service -
how they expedited my visa, ensured I was met at the airport and driven directly
to my hotel, and above all, how they stayed in touch with me from our very first
contact throughout the entire ordeal. Those patients were all pretty amazed at
the level of service compared with their own experience. WorldMed Assist handled
all those loose ends I turned out to be incapable of pulling together on my
own."
"Now, I'm home, and already back to work. The pain in my hip was gone a week
after surgery. Before surgery, I could only stand for one hour and then I needed
to lie down on a hot pad for two hours…that makes for pretty slow progress
restoring these motorcycles."
About WorldMed Assist
Experts in medical tourism, WorldMed Assist's mission is to improve lives by
helping patients receive high quality medical treatment abroad at affordable
prices. WorldMed Assist coordinates and simplifies every aspect of care and
travel. WorldMed Assist also provides medical tourism as an option for
self-insured businesses seeking expanded and affordable healthcare options for
employees. Hip Resurfacing in India and Belgium is significantly less expensive
than in the U.S., yet delivered with the same or higher quality care and results
as set by U.S. standards. Waiting times are virtually eliminated, track records
are proven, and facilities are state-of-the-art. For more information, go to
http:/www.worldmedassist.com
Press Release Distribution By PressReleasePoint(http://www.pressreleasepoint.com)
Contact:
Wouter Hoeberechts
WorldMed Assist
Pioneertown, CA
866-999-3848 X710
whoeber@worldmedassist.com
http://www.worldmedassist.com
Monday, August 18. 2008
Monday, August 18. 2008
Link
http://cbs4denver.com/local/Colorado.News.Denver.2.556499.html
By Kathy Walsh Feb 15, 2007
DENVER (CBS4) ― Doctors at Presbyterian Saint Luke's Hospital have started
offering a new type of hip surgery aimed to help baby boomers who are having
pain in their hips earlier than normal. The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System
was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last May.
The new surgery is an alternative to total hip replacement and aimed at people
under the age of 60.
"It is something that patients have actually been waiting to have done," said
Dr. Cindy Kelly at Presbyterian Saint Luke's.
One operation CBS4 witnessed took 2 hours as Kelly prepares the hip socket, then
hammered a new metal one into place. Kelly shaved the damaged bone on the hip
ball, preserving it rather than removing it. She then glued and pounded in a new
metal cover.
"Patients have full motion, really without the risk of dislocation," said Kelly.
The new procedure allows for more activity. Patients could be up and moving in 6
weeks, but need to wait a year before running.
One benefit is that if a patient needs another hip replacement, the thigh bone
is largely intact.
The new resurfacing procedure may not be for everyone. Patients should always
consult their own doctor.
Tuesday, August 12. 2008
Link -
Read Complete Article by Clicking Here
The Maglio Christopher & Toale Law Firm has filed suit in Federal District
Court against Zimmer, Inc. on behalf of a client with a failed Durom Hip
Replacement Cup. It is believed that this is the first lawsuit to be filed
against Zimmer regarding its controversial Durom Hip Replacement System. The
Firm plans to file additional Durom lawsuits against Zimmer on behalf of other
clients in the coming weeks.
Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) August 12, 2008 --
The Maglio Christopher & Toale Law Firm has filed suit in Federal District Court
against Zimmer, Inc. on behalf of a client with a failed Durom Hip Replacement
Cup. Zimmer is a multinational medical device manufacturer. It is believed that
this is the first lawsuit to be filed against Zimmer regarding its controversial
Durom Hip Replacement System. The Firm plans to file additional Durom lawsuits
against Zimmer on behalf of other clients in the coming weeks.
Problems with the Zimmer Durom were put in the spotlight on April 22 of this
year when a highly respected orthopedic researcher, surgeon, and director of the
Dorr Institute for Arthritis Research and Education, wrote a letter to his
colleagues at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, criticizing the
device. In his letter, Lawrence Dorr, MD, reported that 14 of the 165 Durom hip
systems implanted at his clinic needed to be surgically revised within two years
of implantation. He wrote:
"In the first year the x-rays looked perfect. We have revised four that did not
have any radiolucent lines or migration (and John Moreland revised one). These
early cups fooled us, but the symptoms were so classic for a loose implant that
we operated on the patients. When we hit on the edge of the cup it would just
pop free. As time goes by the cups begin developing radiolucent lines. We now
have one cup at two years that has actually migrated a short distance. It has
tilted into varus. We do not believe the fixation surface is good on these cups.
Also there is a circular cutting surface on the periphery of the cup that we
believe prevents the cup from fully seating. We stopped using the cup after the
first revisions."
It was another three months before Zimmer finally stopped selling its Durom
Hip Resurfacing System. On July 22, 2008, Zimmer issued a press release
announcing that it was "temporarily suspending marketing and distribution of the
Durom Acetabular Component in the U.S. on a voluntary basis, while the Company
updates labeling to provide more detailed surgical technique instructions to
surgeons and implements its surgical training program in the U.S."
In its release, Zimmer admitted that the Durom cup was failing at a higher
than expected rate. However, it went on to blame the high rate of failure on
surgeon error rather than on the Durom cup. Orthopedic surgeons familiar with
the Durom have disagreed, indicating that the widespread nature of the failures
shows the problem to be with the cup and not surgeon error.
Zimmer estimates that as many as 12,000 patients in the United States
currently have the Durom Cup implanted in their hips.
About the Maglio Christopher & Toale Law Firm
The Maglio Christopher & Toale Law Firm has successfully represented patients
across the nation in obtaining compensation for injuries caused by defective hip
and knee joint replacement devices.
Tuesday, August 12. 2008
Link -
Read Complete Story by Clicking Here
August 12, 2008
The debate over U.S. health-care reform rages on. But why wait for someone
else to dictate your future? You have many options -- if you're willing to take
a vacation. If recovering from a medical procedure while lying on a palm-swept
beach, relaxing by the hotel pool, or shopping for terrific bargains sounds
good, then medical vacations may be exactly the right solution for you.
From hip replacement to heart surgery, more people are discovering the
advantages of traveling abroad for their medical needs.
A big growth industry
In just the past few years, medical vacations have gone from a tiny niche
market to an impressive growth story with substantial market-share gains. From
Mexico to India, Costa Rica to Thailand, hospitals are taking advantage of this
global trend. And U.S. companies are taking note as well. Aetna (NYSE: AET) and
Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina are among the health-care companies
tailoring their corporate health insurance plans to give employees the
opportunity to head to India or elsewhere for surgeries such as knee
replacements and the more modern, less invasive approach to hip replacement, hip
resurfacing...
Read More
Monday, August 11. 2008
Link
Click here to read complete story
August 7, 2008
Europe's largest medical devices firm, Smith & Nephew, which manufactures hip
implants in Birmingham, has posted better-than-expected second-quarter earnings
as revenues hit £500 million for the first time, boosting its stock.
The group confirmed its outlook for the full year, including the impact of
problems at its Plus Orthopaedics, where the company revealed it had uncovered
"unacceptable" sales practices three months ago.
Chief executive David Illingworth said: "We have generated quarterly revenues of
$1 billion (£512 million) for the first time, as a result of a very solid
performance across all of our businesses."
"In Reconstruction we have seen good growth in both our hip and knee product
lines; in Trauma the actions we have taken in sales management have begun to pay
off; Endoscopy has delivered double-digit revenue growth and in Advanced Wound
Management we have outperformed the market. We are confirming our guidance for
the full year and we believe that the long term outlook for our business is
excellent," he added.
In Orthopaedic Reconstruction, global hip revenue growth was a solid seven per
cent due to good contributions across all products and regions.
The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System now has an estimated 3.5 per cent share by
volume of the total US hip market after only two years in the market.
Investors welcomed the performance.
Nomura Code analyst Charles Weston said: "All the divisions did well on their
sales and they've confirmed that the sales hit from Plus will be $100 million
(£51 million), which is effectively positive because there are no new
negatives."
Pre-tax profit rose to £80 million from £75.3 million a year earlier. Sales were
£512 million, an underlying increase of eight per cent, or 23 per cent on a
reported basis.
Monday, August 11. 2008
By RICKY TREON
Calf roping is no longer a young man's sport for Jeff Copenhaver.
It was, back when he was 9 and dreamed of being a world champion. Back when he
went to his first national finals 13 years later, and when he competed in that
prestigious event for the last time at 29.
But now, at 59 years young, Copenhaver has decided to return to calf roping
competition, something he thought he'd given up long ago.
Copenhaver, who runs the Cowboy Church at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth and also
works with kids, did win that world championship in 1975 and he continued to be
one of calf roping's premier competitors and teachers for two more decades.
It seemed age had finally caught up with Copenhaver in 1995, when it became too
painful to mount a horse. And at the time, not being able to practice calf
roping in any capacity was something he could deal with.
"I really didn't think I had any more desire to do it," he said of the skill
that he'd nearly perfected throughout his life. "I was just minding my own
business in 2006. And then, bam, the desire came back."
Copenhaver said that desire was subtle at first. But in October 2006, he
scheduled a double-hip resurfacing, a new procedure that allows less bone
removal and more mobility than a total hip replacement. The hope was to
eliminate the pain and regain the abilities he thought he'd lost forever.
Turns out he had to wait until the following August to finally have his surgery
done by Dr. Theodore Crofford at Fort Worth's Texas Hip and Knee Center.
It was tough, waiting all that time, he said.
Copenhaver hasn't had any complications after the surgery last Aug. 27 and said
he's feeling better physically than he did at age 36 when he'd last sat in a
saddle.
"They know so much more about the body and how it works nowadays," Copenhaver
said. "I'm just way more fit."
So fit that he wants to start competing again. Though it sounds like a pipe
dream, Copenhaver is doing everything he can to make sure he doesn't end this
comeback disappointed or hurt.
Riding a horse and roping a calf is hardly like riding a bike.
"It's going to take a certain length of time to get riding again with an edge,"
he said. "The hip is just now, at 11 1/2 months, starting to feel strong
again"...
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