So I'm Having Hip Resurfacing Surgery Soon

I'm scheduled for April 18, 2011 for Hip Resurfacing surgery with Dr. Harold Boyd in Salem, Oregon.

I've meant to start keeping a diary of sorts for some time now - to let my online peeps know what's up with me, to keep track of my progress and expectations about all of this, and just maybe inform someone else who might find this information helpful.

Wait, what are you having?
A hip resurfacing is like a hip replacement in that I'll end up with a new metal-on-metal joint, but it's different from a hip replacement in that I get to keep my femur. This procedure has been approved by the FDA for less than a decade, but there have been successful surgeons in other countries using the current technology for much longer.

The procedure is not well-known in the United States, which is another reason I wanted to post my experience online - I'd like to educate anyone I can that this option exists. There are several online communities that provide patient-to-patient information, which is how I learned about it.

Aren't you a little young for hip surgery?
Why, thank you, yes I am. I have been having worsening hip pain for over 12 years. At first I thought it was wonky pregnancy joints. But then I starting complaining about it when I hadn't been pregnant for some time. I had my first hip x-ray about five years ago and the diagnosis was "That's weird, it looks like you have some arthritis."

Two years ago, I thought well, if I have arthritis, maybe I'll go see a orthopedist who knows a thing or two about hips. There my diagnosis was confirmed, and I learned that the reason I had developed arthritis in my 30s was that my hip joint had not developed appropriately - I had mild dysplasia. Yes, if I was a German Shepherd I wouldn't have been allowed to breed. I'll wait here while you think up your own female dog joke....

The orthopedist I saw told me that I would eventually need a hip replacement, but as they only last "20 or 25 years" I should wait until I couldn't stand it any longer before I had it done. So that was really hopeful....

This procedure can help me act like a 42 year old, while I'm still 42. Rather than acting like a 65 year old, until I'm 65 and old enough for a total hip replacement.

And why aren't you having the surgery done by someone local?
It turns out that hip resurfacing is a bit more technical than a traditional hip replacement (this is not intuitive to me for some reason, but that's what the data show). The cup placement in the acetabulum (in the 'socket' of the pelvis) is very important for long-term wear of the implant.

Criteria for hip resurfacing is more limited that for total hip. For a while, they thought maybe women were not good candidates; but now they understand that as long as you have good bone size and density, you can be considered. Many women who would benefit from a new hip are post-menopausal, and therefore at higher risk for bone density issues. Younger, active people often make good candidates for hip resurfacing, since there is less risk of dislocation, better 'loading' of the hip (more like the natural joint), and fewer limitations in activity after surgery than a total hip replacement.

Anyway, there seems to be a noticeable learning curve with this procedure. Especially if you are not the 'perfect' patient, i.e., a large-boned male under age 65. So I hunted around these online communities and found Dr. Boyd, who has done over 700 of these procedures.

In case you're dying for more information, check out the following sites - they're chock full of detail.
Vicky Marlow's Hip Resurfacing Site
Patricia Walter's Surface Hippy Site