Hip Resurfacing News - General Information

Hip-Hip-Hooray! Exciting New Hip and Knee Resurfacing Surgery Comes to

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:01:34 -0700

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.

Hip Resurfacing in India: WorldMed Assist Makes Surgery Abroad Possible for Californian

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:52:41 -0700

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

Dr. Bose Transcript of Chat on Aug. 16, 2008

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:10:48 -0700

Click here to view a Transcript of the Surface Hippy Chat with Dr. Bose on Aug. 16, 2008

First Zimmer Durom Hip Replacement Lawsuit Filed

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:30:05 -0700

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.

Medical Vacations: The Retiree Health-Care Solution?

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:14:53 -0700

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...

Bilat Resurfacing - Copenhaver hopes to compete again

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:36:45 -0700

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"...

Hip Resurfacing Doctor observes 30 years practicing in Galesburg - Myron Stachniw orthopedic surgeon

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:41:10 -0700

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.

Doctor observes 30 years practicing in Galesburg - Myron Stachniw orthopedic surgeon

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:41:10 -0700

Link Read Complete Story by Clicking HereBy JOHN R. PULLIAM GateHouse News Service

Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing Growing More Popular

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:00:21 -0700

Link - Click here to see full article

Aug. 8, 2008

Since its introduction a decade ago, metal-on-metal hip resurfacing has become increasingly popular because it may conserve femoral bone, increase functional ability and be easier to revise than other procedures, according to an article published in the August issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Michael A. Mont, M.D., of Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, and a colleague reviewed clinical results - primarily from studies conducted in England, Australia and Western Europe -- and highlighted 10 important lessons learned during the past 10 years.

The researchers found that metal-on-metal hip resurfacing now accounts for about 10 percent of total hip arthroplasties. Among the lessons they highlight is that patient selection is the key to success. They cite Australian data on more than 10,000 patients showing that metal-on-metal hip resurfacing is associated with similar or improved survivorship compared to standard total hip arthroplasty in men under age 65 but not in men over age 65, and that metal-on-metal hip resurfacing is associated with a higher risk of short-term failure in men over age 65 and in all women.

"In the Australian registry, hips that underwent resurfacing as treatment for osteoarthritis have had better survival than those that underwent resurfacing for the treatment of developmental dysplasia, inflammatory arthritis and osteonecrosis," the authors write. "In summary, resurfacing hip arthroplasty has had a tremendous increase in popularity because of the potential benefits of femoral bone conservation, possible increased functional ability, and ease of potential revision procedures. In young men, the survivorship has been similar to that of standard total hip arthroplasty."

Although none of the authors received outside funding or grants in support of their research, one or more of them reported that they or their family members received grants or payments from Wright Medical and DePuy during the past year.

Smith & Nephew posts first $1B quarter

nospam@example.com (Patricia Walter) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:54:12 -0700

August 7, 2008

Link http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2008/08/04/daily35.html

Smith & Nephew PLC reported revenue of $1 billion for the fiscal second quarter ending June 28, a 23 percent increase compared to $813 million for the year-ago quarter. This is the company's first ever $1 billion quarter.

Based in London, Smith & Nephew (NYSE: SNN) is a global medical technology business with 8,800 employees worldwide. The company's orthopedic reconstruction, orthopedic trauma and clinical therapies divisions are based in Memphis.

For the second quarter, the company reported net income of $198 million, an increase of 18.6 percent compared to $167 million in the second quarter last year.

Revenues for the Memphis-based reconstruction unit grew by 8 percent to $396 million. Global hip revenues grew 7 percent in the quarter. While the 2-year-old Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System now has a 3.5 percent share of the total U.S. hip market, management said sales growth slowed a bit in the quarter on competitive pressures. U.S. knee revenues grew 12 percent in the quarter.

The trauma and clinical therapies division grew 5 percent in the quarter to $171 million.

Management said revenues in both units were strongly impacted by the purchase of the former Plus Orthopedics Holding AG. The purchase plunged second quarter revenues down an estimated $19 million and profits down by $9 million. The company said bringing Plus on board will cost $100 million in the next year.