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I was very honored to attend the 2nd Annual Hip Resurfacing
Course in LA on Oct. 24 & 25, 2008. The course was to
teach new surgeons about hip resurfacing and to allow
experienced hip resurfacing surgeons to share their
experience. Allied medical
professionals also attend the course such as physical
therapists, surgeons not performing resurfacing and medical
device companies.
I hardly have enough words to describe the wonderful
experience. I spent two intense days learning about every
aspect of hip resurfacing. I attended sessions about
approaches to surgery, patient selection, femoral cementing
techniques, metal ion issues, learning curve issues, special
uses for resurfacing, bioengineering information and many
more topics. I found much of the information
fascinating since I am a Mechanical Engineer. I now
have an even greater appreciation of the experienced
surgeon's hip resurfacing skills. They are not only
surgeons, but engineers and artists.
Faculty Panel Discussion
Front Row: Dr. Gross, Dr. Mont, Dr. De Smet Dr. Murry
Back Row: Dr. Stulberg Dr. Kreuzer Dr. Amstutz
Dr.Tuke Dr. Barrack
Dr. Metta Dr. Beaule Dr. Jinnah
The more I learned about resurfacing, the more I realized
each doctor has his own approach. Even when
surgeons are using the same surgical approach, they don't do
much of the surgery in the same way. Some surgeons place the
femur cap first, while others place the acetabular cup
first. Some do it by using their experience while
others use x-ray assistance or even computerized assistance.
Each surgeon uses what is the best method for them.
There is no way anyone could say what is correct or best for
hip resurfacing. Each surgeon is an individual and no
two seem to proceed the same way. Each doctor has
their own opinions why their approach or method is best,
but there always seem to be another surgeon with a
different opinion.
So we as patients really need to choose a surgeon and then
trust their decision and judgment as to what surgical approach and
hip resurfacing device is best for us. We would never have
the hands on experience they have to be able to choose what
is best for ourselves. We can read and learn, but when
you listen to how experienced surgeons approach
resurfacing, you realize a patient can never
truly understand what the surgeon knows.
I don't think there were even two doctors that could
hardly agree on any subject. Each surgeon has great
outcomes, but individual techniques. It was fascinating to
listen to the surgeons discuss how they would approach
various cases. There are surgeons that almost always opt for
a THR when possible, while there are others that will try to
do a resurfacing no matter what. Then most doctors are
somewhere in-between. There is a great variation
on patient selection between the experienced surgeons.
There is a lot of variation on what hip device surgeons
prefer for certain cases. It seems that most hip
resurfacing devices work fine as long as they are placed by
the experienced surgeons.
Faculty Photo
So the most important thing I learned was to trust the
experienced hip resurfacing surgeons. This was the same
opinion I had acquired over the last three years while
running my website, but it was reinforced very strongly at
the conference. I have an even greater respect for the hip
resurfacing surgeon's skill. We all come to know and
love our individual surgeons as patients since they give us
a pain free, active life. However, as I learned more and
more about how technically difficult hip resurfacing surgery
was, I had an even greater respect for these doctors that
take away our pain and give us great metal on metal hips.
Yes, there is really a steep learning curve and as with any
major surgery, always a possibility of problems. I did
learn that these doctors are very compassionate and
concerned about their patients. They not only think
about how they will perform the surgery, then place the new
hip device during surgery, but they continue to remember the
patients long after they have recovered. The doctors
are concerned about the hip devices they use, the metal ions
released from the devices and the possible revisions that
could be required many years down the road. All of the
surgeons want more medical studies for many aspects of hip
resurfacing. They want good statistical information to help
them make good decisions.
I learned a great deal of technical information, but the
biggest lesson I learned was to choose an experienced hip
resurfacing surgeon and then trust their judgment. It
is the same message I had always passed on to potential hip
resurfacing patients, but my opinions were reinforced many
times over during the resurfacing course.
Patricia Walter and Dr. De Smet of Belgium
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