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Alternatives to THR

Posted , 7 users are following.

Sredni393
Sredni393

I was reminded by a post on here about a BBC article to when I asked my surgeon why we weren't offered injectables a into hip joint to cushion the friction of bone against bone.   Not necessarily stem cell (expensive) but something more like Hyaluronate. This is fairly cheap and inert and already is used in differing viscosities in butt lifts, breasts, facial cheekbones enhancement. I knew it decades ago in artificial tear drops. Also some soft contact lenses were made after discovery that heart valve implants could have other uses. HA is hydrophilic, attracts moisture and theoretically can be as thick (viscous) as hard gelatine (derived from bone).   Just think of a simple incision for that; no sawing of femoral head off, no long steel shaft right into the femur marrow, no lodging of that ghastly heavy metal socket (usually too big).   Of course it wd depend on catching the erosion early and there being some space in the joint. I would certainly offer myself up as guinea pig on my other side where there remains a  minute space still but where pain is now equal to the operated side. Of course the manufacturers wd lobby like hell as what cd be easier than their income flow from steel parts. Easily available cheek implants, why not try out an implant which cd be custom made to size, inserted folded just as the eye lens implant in cataract surgery, when it would open out and fill the given space. Even with frequent replacement (or not). It's gotta be an idea, non? Anything other than the draconian barbarity that is THR

1 like, 28 replies

28 Replies

  • Lynn195013
    Lynn195013 Sredni393

    Posted

    very intersesting, I did have an injection into my hip but I think it had gone too far, had mine done on 22nd July here in france
  • edarlingb
    edarlingb Sredni393

    Posted

    My friend and I have been wondering about this kind of technique as an alternative, for years!  Yes; good socialist that I am, capitalism is always the reason, while we continue to pay the price in pain.
  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee Sredni393

    Posted

    It is good to hear about other choices.  So informative you are!.  I appreciate it.  In my case, I do not believe there was anything that could have helped my dead joints so to avoid THR.  

    biggrin Dawn

  • ros007
    ros007 Sredni393

    Posted

    Some techniques like this were trialled in the 70s as I remember. I think it was the University of leeds. Results were promising but patchy and not long lived. As the lifetime and reliability of THR improved I think it fell out of favour for hips but I think some places still use it for knees where the access is easier.
  • joy47826
    joy47826 Sredni393

    Posted

    What did your surgeon say when you asked him the question about injections..

    I had 2 series of the HA injections in my knee and no help...I've heard this from many and the insurance pays but pharma makes a lot of money on this simple injections.

    Capitalism is alive and thriving sadly....in the U.S. for sure.

    Sometimes I think the Hip area is too far gone for injections...people do cortisone but that is not good for longterm if any relief is gotten.

    MANY try to make it thru life and NOT do replacements and even back surgeries which are huge issues after the surgeries...

    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 joy47826

      Posted

      He mumbled something about it too far gone...(in my case).  It's timing I guess as as long as there's joint space I believe there's hope.  It is moving very quickly with HA, it being a natural large hydrophilic molecule. I believe in time that's where it will go. And it's cheap; comes from turkey wattle but can be made synthetically. I guess big PHARMA is on to it with patents etc. I wonder if trials have been conducted. Although natural, the procedure is still invasive with all the risks that entails. If it ain't broke don't mend it, but hey with all the complications, failures, and future long term miseries rife, there has to be another way. Big PHARMA will only get involved if big profits can be made, so it won't be cheap whatever comes of it. HA itself cheap but I thought about the products inserted as solid mass also. I wonder if vets have carried out anything on canines! I just had a session with a Chinese dr who advocates no surgery by getting to the problem before it's too advanced.  Oh that hindsight is a bitch!
    • edarlingb
      edarlingb Sredni393

      Posted

      While he was conducting highly invasive and excruciatingly painful injections in my 'failed' hip area, my Pain Management Consultant announced that he would never have an artificial device inserted in his body. Very comforting: great bedside manner. 
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 joy47826

      Posted

      Also joy, interested to read u tried HA in knees. They must be using liquid but it is being marketed in ever more viscous concentrations. Surely they must be researching synthetic cartilage or gelatinous fillers. I feel like getting onto a lab myself! What about donor hips! Now I go too far.......
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 edarlingb

      Posted

      I may have inserted something artificial into him at that point! (Joking!)
    • edarlingb
      edarlingb Sredni393

      Posted

      He was a total mental case. Fired after several months as a result of patient complaints. But, I understand, still practising somewhere in Jersey. 
    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee edarlingb

      Posted

      Oh my, that attitude bites!  My only solace when faced with the God like mentality of doctors who are "practicing" on us and making millions off of us, is that , here in the US after the baby boomers begin to dwindle, they will have less work.  (probably not really, but I like to think of it like this)

      cheesygrin

  • joy47826
    joy47826 Sredni393

    Posted

    It wasn't like this forever, big pharma got BIG in the 60's....the docs no longer wanted to make house calls, etc....coming from a little town in the East, our family doc was the greatest....

    Then the drug companies went wild....and the dollar signs were the name of the game.

    Sadly, too many docs do see the dollars signs when they push all the scripts they do, which getting arthritis of the wrist...... And there are some dedicated doctors, I know that.

    My rheumatologist started out in a group from her days at UCLA Medical School and just knew this was not her way of treating patients, she was not going to be a drug pusher.

    She does all integrative healing in her practice (yes practice) which includes acupuncture, mesotherapy and prolotherapy.... She'll probably never be rich but she wants to work on healing. I have had all 3 of these therapies from her, but our medicare has changed here and now she can't bill like she did in the beginning of my treatments.....darn.....

    Oh she is Indian born in England and her father did his medical work like this too.

    And YES I Know docs are necessary for many many issues, they can be the best but the worst too.

    It's all so complicated with our huge growing population.J

  • jilliboss123
    jilliboss123 Sredni393

    Posted

    Sounds like something we'll see being used soon.  I hope so.  Why can't they build new cartridge and just insert it in the joints?  Or like bone grafting of hip joints instead of metal sockets?  They can grow just about anything in the lab now.  I know they will come up with such simple treatments for this in the future, wish we were there already. 
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