Originally posted by jac April 10, 2013. They didn't tell me the brand but I did see hociR packaging in the OR.
I did a lot of research before I gave the go ahead for the surgery. One thing I found was that every now and then they redesign the things. Apparently those things get installed, and then as the parts rub on each other and wear small particles are deposited in the joint area. Since the body has a difficult time carrying the stuff away, and also does not deal with foreign matter well, many problems develop.
Over the years different materials have been tried. Plastic on metal. Metal on plastic. Metal on metal. Since there is no longer natural lubrication, various materials have been tried.
Also, various methods for implanting and attaching them have been tried, screws, adhesives, etc.
After a few hundred thousand have been implanted and the patients get some miles on them, the problems begin to manifest themselves.
I decided if I was going to let some sawbones open a 10" to 12" gash in my hip, cut off the end of the femur and pound a stem into it, and then take a tool like a hemispherical cheesegrater (notice how I tied cheese into the discussion) and carve a cup into my pelvis for the acetabular cup, and then connect it together with a ceramic ball and a highly cross linked polyethylene cup, I needed to learn as much as I could about the whole process.
After all, there is no end to ambulance chasing barristers advertising on late night TV about "you or a loved one" having "complications or death" from a hip revision.
Mine is titanium, ceramic and highly cross linked polyethylene (plastic), made by a company called Stryker. The stem and the acetabular cup have a titanium coating on them that has some tooth to it, so that as the bone heals it actually grows to the coating, negating the need for screws or adhesives. The ball and socket are replaceable, without the need to remove the stem and acetabular cup, and thereby allowing for a much longer service life of the prosthesis and reducing the risks of running out of bone to attach it to.
I just wanted to be an informed patient and reduce the chances that I may need to contact some late night lawyer.
Or buy a K3.