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BHR, ceramic, Earl, Hip Replacement, Magnetic resonance imaging, metal, surgeon, Zimmer
Hi Earl,
I had my right hip replaced with a metal on metal S&N BHR in Feb 2009. I have had nothing but problems with it starting a week after surgery to this very day.
First starting with clicking, then to squeaking and now grinding. I had the hip replaced when I was 26 (Im now 28) due to RA and was walking bone on bone. With the pain and problems from the BHR, I honestly felt better before I had it replaced.
I had a total hip replacement of my left hip March 2011 with a J&J ceramic on plastic and to this day that hip clicked only once and over all I have had no issues with it.
I had blood work done before the left hip was replaced and my ion levels are high but x-rays and MRI’s dont really show to much.
My surgeon says that a revision surgery may take away some of my mobility and being 28 he does not want to see that happen. I am at a loss, I have contacted 2 law firms this year and because I do not have a J&J implant they will not pick up my case. So what do I do…suffer?
My View: In reply to Bryan
Hi Bryan
The clicking and grinding suggests that a very poor job was done and the BHR is way out of alignment. The bloods indicate that the wear is producing metial ions and these will be destroying your bone and surrounding tissue, whether you feel it or not. It is only a matter of time. And the more damage that is done the harder it will be for the revision to succeed. That is the knock on effect. So because of your age they will want to minimise the number of operations but if you don’t get it out soon the damage from the high metal ions will be worse.
Like you I had S&N and there are no law firms taking on S&N at this time because not too many people have come forward.
So the best bet is to get a sympathetic surgeon who understands that normal BHR’s do not click and grind and produce high metal ions.
Your current surgeon is right to be cautious because of your age and the invasiveness of the revision – but I can tell you that getting my S&N out was the best thing I ever did and my range of movement is way better with the new Zimmer revision system ceramic on ceramic.
I would suggest that a second opinion is called for if you cannot get your current surgeon to understand the problems associated with metallosis and poorly positioned hip prosthesis.
If he is the surgeon that did the BHR then he may have his head in the sand and be trying to cover his own butt! Check if he is receiving “payments” from S&N – many surgeons get paid large sums by the orhtopaedic companies for promoting and using their products. This morally compromises them.
You sound like you will need to get a second opinion and some urgent action.
Earl
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HELLO, I AM JACKIE. LONG STORY SHORT, I WAS 44 WHEN I HAD MY LHR, BIOMET METAL ON METAL, ITS FAILING AND THAT WAS 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. LEVELS ARE ELEVATED AND ITS METAL ON METAL. HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY RECALLS FOR BIOMET AS OF YET. AND EVEN THO I HAVE INSURANCE, HAVING ANOTHER SURGERY WILL COST ME BECAUSE OF LOST WAGES CO PAYS, DEDUCTABLE FOR THIS NEW YEAR AND SO ON. AND I CANT AFFORD IT BUT CANT KEEP HURTING LIKE THIS. MY DOC KINDA JUMPS OVER THE SUBJECT OF IT “FAILING” BUT WITH THE GRINDING, HIGH LEVELS AND PAIN AND ON AND ON, NO DOUBT WHATS GOING ON. BUT I FELT BETTER BEFORE MY REPLACEMENT, AND IM SO SCARED BECAUSE HE SAID IT WOULD BE ALOT HARDER TO RECOVER FROM THIS SURGERY THAN THE ONE BEFORE, MORE TIME OFF AND SO ON. I FEEL FOR YOU, AND YES, GET ANOTHER OPINION, AND GET SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM SCARED BECAUSE I DONT KNOW IF WHAT HE USES, IS GOING TO BE ANY BETTER THAN THE ONE I HAVE. I DONT KNOW WETHER TO CONTACT SOMEONE (LAWYER, COMPANY) OR WHAT. JUST KINDA LOST. I AM SCARED OF ALL OF IT, MY ANIXETY IS SORING HIGH LOL, I AM 46 NOW AND GET AROUND LIKE I AM SIXTY, I USE TO DO SO MUCH. AND YOU ARE SO YOUNG, PLEASE GET TO ANOTHER DOCTOR. I AM NOT USING THE SAME DOC, THIS IS A SPECIALIST IN TEXAS WHERE I LIVE. THE LAST THING THE DOC WHO DONE MY SURGERY SAID TO ME WAS……WELLLLLL, LOOKS LIKE YOUVE GOT SOME NERVE DAMAGE, BUT THERES NOT ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YA. LOL, I WAS LIKE WHAT????? I LEFT CRYING, AND NEVER WENT BACK. I AM WORRIED ABOUT HAVING IT DONE AND SOMETHING GOING WRONG AGAIN, IO DONT WANT TO GO THRU MUTIPLE SURGERYS. BUT I WISH YOU THE BEST AND PLZ KEEP US POSTED ON YOUR JOURNEY. WILL KEEP YOU IN MY THOUGHTSAND PRAYERS………………JACKIE
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I thought I would leave everyone a follow up on my problems with my BHR. When I had my left hip replaced the surgeon said to start stressing that hip more and in hopes that it would slow the wearing down on the BHR. So I did that. Oct 2011 I was at home and I took a large step over some stuff and when I put my left foot down with all my body weight I felt a big crunch. It pretty much put me to my knees. I go and see my hip surgeon because I felt pain in my left hip, he xrayed it and my lower back as well. It wasnt the hip that made the crunch, I had compression fractures all around my L5 in my back. To make a very long story short I had to have my lower back fused (it was on 3/12/12) They took L5 out, I have bone grafts and 2 10″ rods holding everything together. I do have RA but what happened to my back had nothing to do with RA at all. Everything points at the BHR, shifting my body weight to one side then the other for so long. I cant keep walking screwed up anymore.Putting 75% of my body weight on the left hip and 25% on the right hip. I am no longer doing that, the pain from back surgery does not even come close to the pain of hip replacements. I am just at a total loss of words about how not much is being done for all of us who have a failing MoM from Smith and Nephew….