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I have a large Patient to Patient website dedicated to Hip Resurfacing called   Surface Hippy.  About 9000 unique visitors a month  use the website to learn about hip resurfacing. Many don't have time to keep up with what's new in hip resurfacing, so I decided to place news media articles about Hip Resurfacing on the Hip Resurfacing News Website.  It is a place to quickly find out what is new and what is changing in the field of hip resurfacing.

Hip Resurfacing came of age in the United States when the FDA approved Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) in May 2006. Previous to the FDA Approval, hip resurfacings were done in Europe, Canada, Australia and other countries outside the United States. Orthopedic surgeons have been performing hip resurfacing surgeries since 1997 in most countries. Over 90,000 people world wide have received hip resurfacings.

Since the FDA Approval of the BHR and Cormet in the US, there are a large number of new surgeons learning the techniques and many people wondering if the surgery is right for them. There are new surgeons training, new medical studies completed regularly and general articles published in newspapers, magazines and in the media daily. Keeping up with all of the information becomes a real task for most people. People are trying to find pertinent information without spending hours and hours searching online - that is the purpose of  Hip Resurfacing News.

Patricia Walter - Owner/Webmaster of Hip Resurfacing News and Surface Hippy

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.
 

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Link  http://www.star-telegram.com/376/story/822867.html

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"...
 

Link  Read Complete Story by Clicking Here

By JOHN R. PULLIAM  GateHouse News Service

Aug 08, 2008 GALESBURG — Dr. Myron Stachniw is celebrating his 30th year practicing in Galesburg.

Stachniw had his first office hours here on July 5, 1978. He earned his bachelor’s degree from what was then the University of Illinois Chicago Circle in 1969, then graduated from medical school in Wisconsin in 1973. Stachniw did a surgical internship and a four-year orthopedic residency at the University of Illinois Hospitals, completing that in 1978, the same year he obtained his master’s degree.

Stachniw, a native of Racine, Wis., who attended high school in Chicago, admitted he had never heard of Galesburg before being asked by the Elks Club to do a Crippled Children’s clinic here.
The Elks had an agreement with the University of Illinois to send residents to various cities to conduct the clinics.

"I came here for the first time as a second-year resident and loved Galesburg so much that I kept on asking to do the clinics," Stachniw said. "I kept returning and, eventually, Cottage Hospital made me an offer to set me up in practice and I jumped at that chance."

His practice is now known at Midwest Orthopedic Services and is located in Cottage Medical Plaza, 834 N. Seminary St., Suite 406.

Stachniw feels Galesburg is the ideal size.

"Galesburg is a wonderful place to live and to practice," he said. "I can do as sophisticated medicine and surgery as I like, but yet enjoy the small town atmosphere."

Stachniw said he has had offers over the years to join orthopedic groups in larger cities but has not been tempted.

"I plan to retire here," he said. "I would like to practice full time for another five years and then do part time, as long as I am healthy. I plan to retire in Galesburg but hope to travel."

Working in a smaller city has not limited his opportunities over the years. He said he developed an interest in joint replacements and has been able to take part in several clinical trials. He has helped design instruments and components for joint replacements.

"I was invited to be a clinical investigator for the hip resurfacing study and was one of 18 surgeons in North America" who first did the procedure.

Hip resurfacing is sometimes used as an alternative to hip replacement. It is a type of orthopaedic surgery that replaces a damaged or arthritic joint with something better or by remodeling or realigning the joint.

"I have had patients come to Galesburg from almost every state in the union, as well as Trinidad, West Indies, for hip surgery. I have also taught hip surgery in Chicago, Las Vegas and Memphis," he said.

Stachniw has continued teaching, helping other surgeons learn hip resurfacing procedures.
"Along with my wife, Reva, who is a nurse, I have conducted studies for the past 18 years for pharmaceutical companies, doing clinical trials on various medications associated with orthopedics. These are studies done for the FDA," Stachniw said.

Shortly after beginning his practice here, Stachniw had another opportunity, one he probably would not have minded missing. A traffic accident offered him the chance to show he truly believed in the quality of medical care here.

"When I was involved in a severe automobile accident in Chicago in 1980, I wanted nothing more than to return to Galesburg to get good health care," he said.

Stachniw has had an office party and a party with his family to mark his three decades of practicing medicine in Galesburg. He has never looked back.

"I have always felt that Galesburg has provided an exceptionally high quality of health care and that has continued to be the case," Stachniw said.