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Bob Singer - June 13, 2005, Dr. Schmalzried PDF Print E-mail
bobGreetings! I’m Bob Singer, and here’s the tale of my tail.

I was in a car accident in 1978. The front of the car tried to get closer to the back, and I sustained a not unusual injury to my right leg – dashboard into knee, knee pushes femur, femur pushes through back of acetabulum. Bummer. Two pins were inserted to hold the acetabulum chunk in place, and life goes on OK. It’s interesting to note that I was diagnosed with aseptic (avascular) necrosis of that right hip, femur specifically, in the late 70’s, subsequent to the surgery – 25+ years before my resurfacing operation.

Years go by, as they will, and I was an active sort – volleyball, snowboarding, mountain biking. As the new millennium approached, the hip started to hurt more, have diminished range of motion, and feel stiff. More years go by (no stoppin’ em!) and yearly x-rays show continuing loss of cartilage and changes in the femoral head. Progressively, I was getting less mobile and flexible and having more pain.

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I finally stumbled on the Yahoo! surface hippy web group, established by Keith Brewster. I was encouraged when I saw the picture of the surfer (having been an avid one), thought it an omen. I read lots about resurfacing, corresponded with a few orthopedic surgeons, learned about the various resurf devices. The course I chose: a Depuy ASR device, and Dr. Tom Schmalzried at the Joint Replacement Institute (JRI) in LA.

My status pre-op, per a radiologist’s evaluation of my x-rays a couple months before my June 2005 operation: “Osteoarthritis. There is severe degenerative arthropathy with obliteration of the cartilage space, marked subchondral sclerosis, cyst formation and juxta-articular spurring. Flattening of the femoral head, probably due to articular surface collapse.” That ain’t good.

So, eyes on the prize, I had the surgery June 13, 2005. I imagine that my hip was challenging, given its degenerated state and the two pins that were sort of in the way. What I know is that, post-op, I had little swelling, little bruising, and a scar that other medical professionals admired. I started going around the block on crutches….. then the stationary bike…the physical therapy….now, it’s hard to remember when I wasn’t as fit as I am now. The days I used to have to sit there and steel myself just to rise to my feet, and stand there preparing to take a step – whew!, that was then, this is now.

Now, I’m AOK. Hike, weight train, stationary and mountain bike, wrestle with the kid, it’s all good. 3 ½ years out, as of December 2008.

Just do it. Feel free to contact me: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 
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