1. Community
  2. Operations and surgical procedures
  3. Hip Replacement

SIZING

Posted , 7 users are following.

Sredni393
Sredni393

It seems that there are too many of us suffering due to oversized implants. In a couple of cases on here, implants were too small. I had no idea that this issue could exist at all. In one case a tall American woman has a too small implant going south down the shaft of her femur. It was she who drew our attention the paltry range of sizes available. And to the fact that at least in the US surgeons are rewarded for sticking with certain manufacturers. Of course those of us going for a second THR will be wise to that now, but meantime, can anyone who believes their implant to be an incorrect fit, respond to this post as I am taking this matter up and drafting an article for a women's magazine.  After all, post surgical complications must be costly and the NHS might better be served by addressing the question of fit before the event rather than coping with revisions and scans and all the miserable patients being treated for pain sometimes over a lifetime. Nearest available fit is just not good enough.....

3 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

Next
  • lynnsfave
    lynnsfave Sredni393

    Posted

    I am pleased to hear you're drafting an article for a magazine.  The word should get out that this problem exists.  I'm the one whose shaft is sinking into my bone, pulling the ball down with it, and the femur neck is too narrow for my anatomy.  I"m in the US.  The fact that some manufacturers only make two sizes is unconscionable ... there should be multiple sizes, just like when we buy a pair of shoes or slacks.. The doctors using these manufacturers aren't asking for more sizes because, as you say, they're rewarded for sticking with that manufacturer, and they're getting away with putting in a size that doesn't fit the person because most attorneys don't want to bother with malpractice lawsuits.   Their suggestion?  Build up your shoe.  We have no advocates. I hope you get a lot of responses.  I'd like to read the article once it's published!
  • DonDon71
    DonDon71 Sredni393

    Posted

    My foot drop brace was to way to small but they went ahead and had me wear it. My leg being numb and my head as well thanks to Percocet. I still knew it was to tight. The AFO might fit a my roommate but he had wore and AFO that size before. My calf ended up swelling from the AFO they fitted me for. It gave me a blood clot that shot up to my lungs. I think the surgeon didn't do his job or the other people because they didn't properly size me for it. Then didn't want to have to deal with what if that's not the one cause it doesn't fit right. I went to a professional who said he didn't know why they had delivered to me cause he knew that it was going to be to small and that it wasn't going to be the one. That brace that they all made me wear ruined my life and pretty much killed me sooner than expected. Just cause of their misdiagnoses. Get the right one next time. 
  • juliette39133
    juliette39133 Sredni393

    Posted

    Are you going to get one or two surgeons to say how they go about sizing a replacement. I say two because they probably won't agree with each other about how it should be done.
    • DonDon71
      DonDon71 juliette39133

      Posted

      What's sad is that two surgeons like the ones that diagnosed me still couldn't pinpoint where the problem was. One said lower back and the other said left hip. Still they messed my whole cardiovascular system up and made me a cripple by the wrong sized brace and misdiagnosis my xrays. Now being totally disabled from healthy they are going to pay me a lot of money LOL
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 DonDon71

      Posted

      Result! Let us hope that the cash will make you feel a lot better. ...
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 juliette39133

      Posted

      O I don't think I'll get any answers from surgeons here. ... it'll be manufacturers and the teaching hospitals doing the purchasing.I  have seen the range of sizes available from the manufacturers of my own implant and they are Legion. The socket is more difficult as the hospital seem to know very little and only read the cursory notes on the completed surgical forms which we know are vague and very very brief.  
  • markbeekmans
    markbeekmans Sredni393

    Posted

    Hello,

    I am happy with your post. I think you are right it is unbelievable but sems to be true. I am no expert but I believe the prothesis are made "fit" by removing bone but that´s plain crazy. In my mothers case it is the hip prothesis from a THR surgery. We are hoping that we figure out if her prothesis is the correct size and not too big or small or rubbing against something or anything. I hope we can contribute in order to help others.

    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 markbeekmans

      Posted

      I think you are correct. They remove bone to accommodate the equipment. I can see this clearly from my xray pre and post surgery and would explain the pain levels. I cannot lie on the operated side even now after 14 months but had to buy a memory foam mattress.  I understand that bone is organic and constantly changing and presumably will reform around the metal/plastic.  Not once did any medic mention one year minimum to adjustment and recovery. It was more 6-8 weeks! But I am going to pursue diligently this question of sizing.  If not custom,  then at least dozens of permutations.  They are probably turned out in China for pennies.  The Exeter which I was told was the gold standard is not rocketscience. Perhaps the socket cup is even more important but with the two components being the wrong size the pain and recovery are doubled. A lot more bone than my femur head have been removed and it can clearly be seen that the femur has been sacrificed. We must be thankful they don't do trepanning and lobotomies with such gusto! 
  • lee47625
    lee47625 Sredni393

    Posted

    I have learned recently that it has been just in the last few years manafactures  have produced a 'woman' sized knee. It never occurred to me that my knee replacements of 12 years ago were man sized! It is inexcusable that there were not, at a minimum,  two sizes available. I'm sure the same holds true for hip replacement hardware. At least a small, medium and large should be avaiable. A custom made prosthesis would be ideal but the cost would be prohibitive.

    i think that the majority of doctors want the best surgical outcomes for their patients, at least in the USA where there are so many specialists and also lawyers.

    Thank you for bringing up this issue. Now I can ask my doctor about it.

    • juliette39133
      juliette39133 lee47625

      Posted

      I was told by my surgeon that he had fitted the largest ceramic hip replacement to give me as much flexibility as possible bearing in mind my relatively young age. So there must be different sizes.
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 lee47625

      Posted

      I believe small medium and large still insufficient.  Shoe sizes are a case in point. To remove good bone to accommodate that shortage of sizes seems very draconian. ... It is only stainless steel not precious metal and the item I was shown a very uncomplicated piece of stainless steel.  The cup like a piece of Lego. Probably all patented and overpriced. 
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 juliette39133

      Posted

      I think the ceramic piece is only the ball which substitutes for the head of the femur which is sawn off along with the required length of femur to allow for the"nearest" fit of steel shaft. I imagine you would feel it or even see it if it stuck out"proud" along the silhouette of your hip. It is the two components,  socket and shaft into which the ceramic ball"sits" where size matters.  I was unaware of cramic on ceramic so cannot comment other than to say I would have opted for that over metal or plastic.  We are all of us wiser after the event Unfortunately! 
    • lynnsfave
      lynnsfave juliette39133

      Posted

      It depends on the manufacturer.  Stryker and a couple others only make two sizes ... narrow and "not quite as narrow".  Or maybe they're small and medium, but not large.  Other manufacturers make more sizes and some make modular/adjustable parts.
    • lynnsfave
      lynnsfave

      Posted

      My reply should have gone to Gentilleschi!
    • Sredni393
      Sredni393 lynnsfave

      Posted

      Very alarming. I wear a dress size 2or 4 and I can see how the bone has been hollowed out. I am now hoping to get a third opinion as the second one worked alongside my surgeon at one hospital. He would not comment on the X-ray which raises questions in itself. Had we all been advised of this sizing anomaly and it's consequences I wonder if I for one, would have even proceeded.  The sockets are even more questionable. The metal,ones resemble furniture castors while the plastic ones have a veneer of tiny little lozenges making an articulated surface. I was shown both but not told which I have implanted! I only wish we could all post our X-rays on here so we could be our own advocates
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.