Birmingham hip

Hi I had The Birmingham Hip resurface about 13ish years ago now. Is that what you mean?

Looking down at my hips I see one 19year old Birmingham hip. Fitted in Oxford, England.

A lighter less invasive operation . Delighted. Fewer done in UK at the moment as some concern re metal ios in bloodstream, esp for females, but e idence is mixed.

So, my second hip 3years ago was a local Exeter hip. Been fine, but would have liked the Birmingham hip again.

Mic

Exeter

England

Zak, this is a difficult one, the Birmingham hip had been in the news regarding the metal on metal rubbing together and affecting the blood by leaving particles, people with this hip are having their blood checked once a year.

I have the Charnley Hip, metal and plastic cemented in, I understand from this forum every surgeon has his preference. If you go with the Birmingham read about it, read reviews and then make up your mind after discussing other options with your doctor.

I had a Conserve+ hip resurfacing done 11 years ago, which is similar to the Birmingham one. I was considered too young to have a hip replacement, which might only last for 15 years. It was brilliant. No pain from the day after surgery, no problems or issues since. But I have been advised that now its been in fir over 10 years I should get an annual x-ray and blood test because of the issues others have raised.

The joint will outlive you but it is a more complex operation and you should be sure to go to a surgeon who has performed a lot of these if you want good results.

It's a medical decision, it all depends on how much you do or do not trust your doctor. We cannot see you or the X-Rays and most of us are not trained medically either.

l have a corail and an Exeter, same UK hospital just different times. I get the impression the surgeon is as important as the replacement used. If you trust your surgeon, go with his recommendation. Good Luck

Hi Rocketman,

Nice you're still involving too!

I took this particular discussion as saying hey there is something different, namely the Birmingham hip..

So me and someone else says, as part of the evidence, well mine has been very good for me for 20 years.

No more or less

Cheers

Mic

Sir Andy Murray has just had a Birmingham hip fitted, a week or so ago. He is hoping to play at Wimbledon with it!!

So make sure your surgeon has performed a good number (at least several hundred) Birmingham hip resurfacings ...

Resurfacing cuts less bone than total hip ... but resurfacing (in a lot of cases) cuts more tissue than total hip replacement.

The Birmingham Hip was designed by Dr. Derek McMinn, a British surgeon. It was intended to be a device to allow more aggressive activity ... jogging, running, playing tennis and to last throughout that kind of activity.

But ... starting about 15 years ago or so, total hip surgeons started to use ceramic balls on cross-linked polyethylene liners ... The cross-linked polyethylene was a dramatic improvement over the traditional polyethylene liners .... Also total hip surgeons just kept improving the surgery ... Now ... there are a growing number of total hip surgeons who allow for running, jumping, diving off cliffs, tennis, whatever.

So basically the BMR went out of fashion (though it's still done by a few surgeons) ... because total hip surgeons more and more don't think they're needed.

Just make sure your surgeon has done a lot of BMR's ... again, hundreds, ideally thousands. That surgery has a longer and more difficult learning curve than total hip replacement surgery. Because they are cutting less bone, BMR surgeons have a more obstructed view of the surgical area ... And with metal on metal, if the surgeon doesn't place the ball and the acetabular socket devices just right, early metal wear can result ... causing problems.

Good surgeon

Short waiting list

Good feedback from patients

And

Your good decisions

Mic

X

My surgeon advised that very few surgeons will carry out the metal on metal hip in the UK due to the problems mentioned below. Although it is interesting that Andy Murray had the Birmingham hip done in London. I think the modern THR prosthesis will now last 15 - 20 years and the modular type can be easily revised