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To Zimmer Consumer Relations:

TO WHOM IT CONCERNS

zimmer.consumerrelations@zimmer.com

FROM Patient J, NEW ZEALAND

I am /was at the time of TRHR surgery a healthy very active-lifetime dancer and swimmer age 64.

7 years on – I remain as I was AFTER The surgery of in XXXXXXX Hospital and under the operation surgeon XXXXXXX.

With some more minor KNOWN arthritis- and against x-ray readings of Mild Degeneration starting -Surgeon XXXXXX on consultation decided an urgent hip replacement was advocated asap – and was booked for surgery on 6/9/2004-against my better judgment, but was planning to ‘let go’ my Southern Cross Medical Care Plan of 30 years – naturally thoughts were – if this DOES need undertaking – best have this done AS SUGGESTED before the premiums went up yet again.

Had misgivings all the way along, up to surgery date. Had attempted to get a further appointment with either or, and right up until ‘long waiting delays with the operating team-of XXXXXXX and Anesthetist XXXXXXX, and in particular as I have a re-actions to anesthetics, and recover quickly-without anesthetics in any elective surgeries I have had.

This was denied – just as blood donation (my own) early denied..Too bothersome in small private hospitals.

Realizing how very ill informed I was re the proposed surgery, and no one in the private hospital, informing me of WHY, and indeed surgery was 6 hours later than scheduled.

I had worked myself up to an extreme anxiety by then, and in no pain at all (no hip pain was ever experienced) but thought I had pulled a muscle leg muscle, and that pain was not disappearing after 6 weeks of treatment – and  r i c e.

Rang the office to sign out, and please make up my account of numerous toll calls but NOT TO CHARGE for simply sitting on the bed for all those hours.

I had phoned a friend to come and collect me-could not come immediately but later confirmed that he was on his way.

As I was preparing to get dressed, suddenly appeared surgeon XXXXXXX – gowned and masked was unrecognizable, as had only seen him once for a 20 min consult two Months prior.

He had heard of my signing out, and was trying to persuade me to stay.

When asked , after an explanation do I still want to go home, the answer was YES PLEASE – I will come back next month, when I feel more more informed. His comments were – you cant – unable to see you then – you will be waiting for 5 months, and at a much higher priced hospital (Ascot) on the other side of town – AND you cannot afford me there. TRUE. That and his offer of lowering the cost of HIS operating costs by $1,500 NZ, persuaded me – still with misgivings and by then acute anxiety.

Not long after Anesthetist popped in (first time I had ever seen him) and talked of anything, BUT the Procedure, OR the Anesthetics procedure which is all important to me.

He did NOT give any pre-med, but allowed a cup of tea I was getting (very dehydrated) without milk, and I would be taken down soon.

I stopped my friend from coming right to the hospital, expecting as told to be going down, any time soon.

THREE HOURS later I was hurried down to theatre – at a time-when visitors were going to be arriving. As I looked at the clock, Anesthetist jabbed me in the hand – stating I would thank him in the morning.

An appalling way of administering an anaesthetic to a very anxious patient.

WITH Questions being asked in RECOVERY – why no Bone Donation – Why No Blood Transfusion, WHY could I not move my right arm up-to open my right eye-burning all over body, and feelings a though I had had a stroke (was heart healthy with great BP-not ever to be AGAIN).

No concerns were addressed – constantly told by both-that this would settle down.

I have had 3 major procedures in my lifetime, ALL elective, along with more minor procedures, and nothing – other than my known phobia of anesthetics – and wanting to be very well informed, prepared for for the aftermath of this.

I was paralyzed down right side, stunned that I could not walk to toilet, and when there could not pass urine, but definitely urge to do so was apparent, what was made worse was the weakness on weight bearing I could not balance, weight bear, co-ordinate well, and remain this way – seven years later.

I KNEW something had gone radically wrong – but no concerns addressed – UNTIL on 3rd post op day I had a backwards FALL in hospital bathroom – heels had been painful, and hip pain was 10/10.

Cracking my skull on the marble floor- I was in a Trauma shock state – but with strong core muscles of a dancer, I Pulled myself over to the left (don’t dislocate the hip was ringing in my ears).

Surgeon appeared the NEXT day – to determine if  I was OK, but concern appeared to be-only had hip dislocated (cemented in-it had NOT) I had specifically asked for NO CEMENT- Dancers cope best with more natural healing.

I suffer today seven years later – with ALL THE SYMPTOMS of faulty implant, and was a line of research I have been going down, Metal on metal-could ions, be in-filtering into my body, that went into SHOCK after procedure.

Many Years later – with at last a great Pain team at our Greenlane Hospital – picked up on the de-sensitisation, nervous system collapse – healthy kidneys – with slight grade 1 impairment – bought on by De-hydration episodes when living overseas for 2 years in tropical heat went to Grade 5 / End Stage Renal in period of 5 months.

LIFE that should have been lived, in the way I was used to, was snatched overnight – with surgeon, never looking me in the eye, and would not listen when I was talking of HIP REVISION right there whilst  still in hospital 12/9/2004.

My life is one of ‘existence only’ not living, and ALL quality of life removed from me-with chronic pain-combination of neuron-pathic and cramps, cannot walk more than 100 meters, without assistance, have lost all fine motor skills, fall after fall is life today.

Pain not so bad when stationary, sway, stagger, and fall, FALL – THIS and MORE – from a precision mover, dancer, swimmer, and part time model, with part time working life, active in all family activity PRIOR to surgery.

Mother of 4 adult children, and participation in grand children’s life is now too tiring and fatiguing, painful and impossible.

NOT as I envisaged a “very different lifestyle for myself”  than that which I have endured for seven years, also adding to this was relationship breakup – of 33 years.

Needing too much outside help – too suddenly, and could not – still cannot be TOUCHED.

I am slim, and small in hip area of anatomy (research inquiries have been along those lines, also) as surgery notes do indicate he had problems affixing the hip cup into place, and was known to bleed heavily (from a known blood clotter).

My Case – so well documented in our country – with “A Medical Misadventure Claim” lodged with our Accident Compensation Corporation, who have only indulged in deliberately delaying, minimizing, and holding up my Claim for negligence and adverse affects, suffered in surgery – with a Case Conference to be held very soon – and another review coming up end September 2011.

Their payout offer is unbelievable, and one eight of what I and family have spent to PROVE my case. This corporation has tried to demean everything about my claim, and the surgeon OR his immediate colleagues refuse to see me, don’t respond to email request, independent providers I have paid for – numerous with global research, with submissions accepted on several web sites.

ONE WEEK AGO – I learned from friends of the faulty hip recall’ SUDDENLY it was all falling into place – as I display EVERY/ALL symptoms of this cruel aftermath of Hip Implant.

Reading Hospital Notes, and am aware I have a ZIMMER Durom metal on metal replacement.

I am requesting HONEST information about the prosthesis, and hope to get ‘honest answers.

No question my surgeon made mistakes in Haste and Speed’ surgery at the wrong end of the day – The worst… remaining so ill informed, and attempting to keep me there AGAINST my wishes, particularly as femoral damage was diagnosed some later.

I believe a lot MORE nerve damage is evident – and recent diagnosis has picked up on tissue necrosis, muscle atrophy (evident within the first year)’, with fine motor skills affected, spatial disorientation, with NO ABILITY TO BALANCE or stand for too long.

And accompanied of recent years with a degree of depression at the grief of my lost life and the unrelenting hardships of dealing for so long with our ACC System – designed to protect surgeons (no evidence of tinnitus, vertigo or motion sickness, but complete Alopecia 5+ years of urinary tract infections, and an ischemic stroke, with right leg palsy,-symptoms/side affects too numerous to mention, but all echo those patients that have already lodged claims..

My vigilant kidney specialist is currently waiting test results for chromium, cobalt (about the only thing I had NOT been tested for, and one more test pending, the conclusions so far ALL pointing to  adding me to the list, of faulty or extreme reaction to the implant.

DETAIL noted on hospital notes are:

ZIMMER Trilogy Acetabular System shell with holes…..porous 56 mm O D…..WC ALCIOCOATE, CERAMIC COATING, TITANIUM..ti-6AL-4V ALLOY …

STERILE QTY-1 Lot60126430.

ZIMMER

Lot 60136201 36201…CAT NO 6310-56-32

LONGEVITY .CROSS-LINKED POLYETHYLENE RIM

FOR USE WITH 56 MM O D.SHELL

UHMWPE  STERILE QTY-1

ZIMMER

BONE SCREW … SELF TAPING

6.5 MM DIA            20MM LENGTH

TITANIUM@ TI-SAL 4V ALLOY  STERILE QTY 1 REF 01.00351.002 Lot 2192102

Ms-30 tm STEM LATERAL    8    12/14

Cemented C E 0123

Please let me have your comments, so action can be taken, that warrants the gravity of the situation, The right leg, is intermittently blue, swollen, and indeed swelling was acute for far too long. ALL functions have been impaired through this surgery I tried to exit from FROM THE FAULTY DUROM CUP PERSPECTIVE – Could you give me your comments as urgently as can please.

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