Description of Event or Problem · 1
IN (B)(6) 2009, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN ARTHRITIC RIGHT HIP. THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON RECOMMENDED A BIRMINGHAM HIP RESURFACING PROCEDURE. THIS RECOMMENDATION WAS BASED ON MY RELATIVELY YOUNG AGE AND OVERALL GOOD HEALTH. PLEASE NOTE: AT THE TIME, I DID NOT KNOW THAT A BHR WAS A METAL-ON-METAL DEVICE. SHORTLY AFTER THE IMPLANT, CLEAR SIGNS OF INFECTION BECAME APPARENT. RATHER THAN TREATING THEM, THE ORTHOPOD PERFORMED TWO ADD'L SURGERIES. THESE ADD'L PROCEDURES WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL IN TREATING MY SYMPTOMS, I.E. AN OPEN WOUND THAT PRODUCED AND EXTRUDED LIQUID FOR OVER A YEAR. FRUSTRATED, MY WIFE AND I FIRED THE ORIGINAL ORTHOPOD AND SOUGHT A REVISIONIST SURGEON. HE IMMEDIATELY KNEW THE HIP HAD GONE 'BAD' AND PULLED IT. BY THIS TIME, THE INFECTION HAD ADVANCED/INCUBATED IN SEVERITY. THIS INCUBATION REQUIRED 9 MONTHS WITH A SPACER INFUSED WITH ANTIBIOTICS TO CURE THE INFECTION. PLEASE NOTE: MY WIFE ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL BHR AFTER IT WAS EXPLANTED. IN LAYMEN'S TERMS, IT IS UGLY AND CLEARLY SHOWS DETERIORATION. PER THE SECOND SURGEON AND I'M PARAPHRASING: "THE BHR WAS VERY LOOSE AND HAD ALMOST COME OUT OF THE CUP WHEN I REMOVED IT." SIMULTANEOUSLY, BLOODWORK REVEALED I HAD METALLOSIS AND SPECIFICALLY ELEVATED LEVELS OF CHROMIUM AND COBALT. (DOCTORS AND LAB RECORDS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST). DATES OF USE: (B)(6) 2009, (B)(6) 2011. REASON FOR USE: HIP REPLACEMENT, REVISION HIP.