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Birmingham, chromium levels, complaints department, Food & Drug Administration, General practitioner, Hip Replacement, Nephew, NephewSmith, operative pain, orthopaedic clinic, Prosthesis, Smith, Smith and Nephew, southampton university hospitals, surgery, Travel, University of Southampton, vacation
Trevor (General Practitioner) Needs Revsion – Dud Smith & Nephew BHR – Just like DePuy ASR
I am a GP and after months of pain and disability I had a Hip Replacement in September 2007. This was done by Mr ******* , who in view of my age (then 53yo) recommended Birmingham resurfacing with a Metal on Metal prosthesis – by Smith and Nephew. I suffered considerable post-operative pain but was out of hospital after 6 days and back at work after 6 weeks.
I regained a fairly active lifestyle, including some cricket and skiing, but have found that this year I have experienced increasing pain and stiffness in the hip, worst in the morning. I was seen in the orthopaedic clinic and have had my Cobalt and Chromium levels measured:-
May 2012
Cobalt * 555 nmol/L N 0 – 17
Chromium * 304 nmol/L N 0 – 20
MHRA Thresholds:-
Cobalt 7ppb equivalent to 120 nmol/L
Chromium 7ppb equivalent to 135 nmol/L
Analysed at Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
I assume that the symptoms I am currently experiencing are due to the Cobalt/Chromium causing local inflammation.
At any rate when Mr ***** saw the results he advised me to have the prosthesis removed and listed me for surgery on the NHS 4 weeks later.
While I appreciate that the surgery needs doing I am nevertheless apprehensive about the experience.
I spoke to the complaints department at Smith & Nephew to enquire if they would be able to defray some of the expenses of being off work. They were less than helpful, to the point of being a little rude.
I think that if they had been more polite I might have left it at that. As it is however I feel I would like to take this further.
Related articles
- Smith And Nephew Hip Replacement Recall Lawsuit Attorney (earlsview.com)
- Anthony’s BHR hell. Just like DePuy. Come on Mr Smith & your Nephew – own up. (earlsview.com)
- Smith & Nephew – Class 2 Recall R3 Constrained Acetabular Liner (earlsview.com)
- Smith & Nephew – BHR PMA – FIRST OF A KIND PMA – WHO PULLED WHAT STRINGS???? (earlsview.com)
- Kathryn’s Story – More Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Misery… (earlsview.com)
- Attachments to Wright Medical’s request to Deny PMA to Smith & Nephew BHR (earlsview.com)
- Despite the Reasons AGAINST – FDA Advisory Panel Recommends Conditional Approval of Smith & Nephew’s BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing Technology (earlsview.com)
- S&N tries to fade out of Metal on Metal QUIETLY… Smith & Nephew Voluntarily Withdraws Hip Component (earlsview.com)
- P040033: BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING (BHR) SYSTEM by SMITH&NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS – FDAzilla Devices (earlsview.com)
- Smith & Nephew pulls metal-on-metal hip component – Reuters (drugstoresource.wordpress.com)
Earl's View 
I under went Hip resurfacing in May 2011, I wasn’t informed about any of the dangers or concerns raised regading the metal on metal hips. I had the Finsbury Adept system, Informed that it had the second best test results. ?
I have had bloods taken but all seem to come back ok.I have already raised my concerns to the surgeon that performed my operation here in the ROH in Birmingham, along with some of the storys on this blog. He looked shocked that I knew so much about the problems around the world regarding MOM hips.
I will say that my health has gone down hill since october 2011 , some 6 months after surgery. Lower back pain, numbness in both buttocks ,legs and feet. I now have breathing problems , I get tired , restless, sleepless nights from back and hip pain stil. I thought I would have been up and running around and back at work but not to be.
My life has been turned upside down, however I must admit that I now know that i,m not the only one suffering and that there are poeple worse off than me.
All I can say is , I,m lucky to have such an understanding and caring woman in my life.
Hi Trevor,
I am a 42 year old Nurse Educator from Australia, unlike you my original was an ASR, however I have been in contact with a lot of people who have had the Birmingham and I certainly encourage you to reach out to people through this site like Earl the creator and especially Howard Sadwin. The one thing I will tell you is that as a health professional, any dealings I have had with Johnson and Johnson and surprisingly a number of surgeons (excluding my current one) I have always been treated with caution bordering on rudeness because if you ask any questions or can communicate in a manner that is ‘at their level’, I believe that their own fear drives them to be dismissive or rude. I would encourage you to hold your ground and speak up as we (the ASR patients) certainly have received a lot of the attention around the MOM issue and I know that Howard in particular, has had difficulties pursuing legal re-dress. But as the lawyers like to say, “the more the merrier”, so the more Birmingham patients that stand up and speak out, it will give more weight to any case you are able to raise. Their is also a great deal of clinical proof (check BMJ, Lancet and general ‘google’ searches) now rising that is just as damning about the Birmingham as the ASR as it is the MOM technology that is flawed and this is not ‘brand discriminitory’! In the 5 years since I got my ASR I have had 3 revisions with Osteotomys and cadaver bone grafting and I now have ‘braces’ on both legs and have more surgery planned for September to try to save my femur with grafting, plates, scaffolding and wiring! This doesn’t include the systemic conditions that metallosis has caused like Chronic Macrocytic Anaemia and Chronic Fatigue. Please look after yourself and continue to pursue your health options, I would be more than happy to discuss with you anything that might help (kjaenke@bigpond.com.au) and I would encourage you to keepasking questions of S&N and also thank you very much for sharing your story and please keep us informed. Take Care, regards Stuart Cain
Reading your story, and all comments, from others on this site, I echo what has been so well portrayed.I have the misfortune to have a generic -badly, sized and seated Zimmer duron cup/stem, CEMENTED in place against request, or knowledge.
I have suffered bacterial infections,never ending, acute adverse re-actions to anaesthitics,over leg lengthening, against ‘confirmation’ of not needed, with a known discrepency, in my favour.Against x-ray results-surgeon insisted, this was urgently needed’All reports indicated mild
early changes. Surgical team insisted ‘advanced /urgent.
The extensive Nerve, tissue and muscle damage, was the first
to be acknowledged,The anaesthitic plan was changed, with NO
ATTENTION to charted re-actions, from antibiotics,- My Body
went into TOXIC SHOCK.and the battle continues to have the
toxic poisoning recognized, and treatment plan organized.
The implant ‘was always suspect, with Zimmer representatives
NOT WANTING to KNOW. My life changed o’night, from healthy
active lifetime dancer, with great BP, and healthy kidneys
were radically affected, from gentamycin poisoning.
Zimmer dont want to know, nor do the surgical team,as I have a Medical Misadventure Compensation Claim, still under deliberation,so many years later.Neuropathic/nerve pain,with
metal sensitivity (cannot be touched)
often a 10/10. Precision movement-is long gone, with a daily struggle to ‘keep balance’ spatial perception in daily living. LIKE YOU, so many medical professionals, are dismissive, and dont want to know, and amazed at my knowledge, and that so many medical injuries/impairments can
be prooved ( with the help.- of many o’seas professionals. a great Pain team here in NZ, and excellent physio.
With Earl’s help, and becomming an early member of this site and Blog, have been
invaluable. We will all be thinking of you.
The first step
has been taken, with belonging to this site,and the help and
knowledge to be gained, from ‘all working together’sharing stories, and knowing where to find answers- to force
these too often corrupt companies-to be held accountable.
Claiming your life back, is hard, getting SOME medical to help, even harder.Knowledge-research and toxicollgy results is the key,to opening doors.Empathy for your plight
Best wishes always.
Jill.NZ
Hi Trevor,
i found this blog when i was doing some searching about my Birmingham hip which i had done in dec 2005 , i have always complained that something was wrong but my surgeon always said the x-rays looked fine & that was that.
I had a appointment with him recently & went armed with all my research that i had spent hours collecting from the internet he was quite suprised that i knew so much , when i tried to tell him about my lack of movement & the swelling in my leg he suggested physio which i have done previously coupled with accupuncture for a long period of time when i told him this he eventually told me that this was not the operation i should of had due to me being a small young(33 at operation) female with dysplacia , he also said he would not put a BHR in his daughter if she was the same as me , oh dear does he not realise i’m someone’s daughter i’m sure my parents don’t enjoy seeing me limping around in chronic pain!!!
Any way i’m off for a MRI on monday can’t wait for the results i must say as i’m getting worse on a daily basis,it’s very scary anticipating what they will find & what will have to be done.
I wanted you to know you are not alone there are quite a few of us around all at different stages of Smith & Nephew BHR hell,i live in the uk also & suggest you look on the http://www.holmes-hills.co.uk web site they are based down south but are taking clients on who have a Smith & Nephew birmingham hip,if we all get together they surely have to admit a problem.
take care
Toni
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