Hip Testimonials

Mr Alan Woods
Mrs Jillian Clark

Mr Alan Woods - Total Hip Replacement case study

Mr Alan Woods is 70 years old and lives with his wife in Hove. He had been experiencing constant pain in his left knee for several years, which caused him to walk with a limp.

Two years ago he presented to Mr Fares Haddad, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, at The Princess Grace Hospital in London with chronic pain in his knee due to osteoarthritis. Mr Haddad confirmed that he needed a uni-compartmental knee replacement, but also that the underlying problem was his right hip, and that he would also need a hip replacement.

Alan first underwent surgery for his knee in September 2002, and then on the 21 January, 2004 Mr Haddad performed a total hip replacement operation using the new Oxinium hip.

Following the operation, Alan was out of bed the next day and within three days he could walk with the aid of a walking stick. After three weeks he could walk unaided, and within six weeks he felt completely healthy again.

Mr Woods commented on the success of the operation:

"After the operation I wasn't even aware that my new hip was there, the only discomfort I experienced was some swelling around my thigh bone and my knee. I am also very pleased that I was given the Oxinium hip because it will last longer than other hips, and hopefully for the rest of my life."

Before the operation Mr Woods was in constant pain, he walked with a limp and was forced to give up his hobbies such as golf and he found gardening difficult. He was also unable to go for long walks or even join his wife for strolls along the seafront at Hove; instead he was restricted to watching his wife walk, while he rested his legs on a seafront bench.

"I am so thrilled with my new hip and to be free of pain. I can do everything! I can accompany my wife along the promenade, I can swim and do gardening again, and after six or seven years I will be taking up golf again."

Mrs Jillian Clark - Total Hip Replacement case study

Mrs Jillian Clark is a 49-year old office administrator working for Bedfordshire County Council, and is a mother of two teenagers. She was born with a left dislocated hip and despite various operations and treatments to try to resolve the problem her left hip did not grow to full size. This resulted in an uneven leg length and a subsequent limp that put pressure onto the left hip, causing unnaturally fast wearing away of the bone that eventually led to painful osteoarthritis of the hip. To compensate for the difference in leg length, her spine had grown at an awkward angle which also resulted in back pain.

It was at this stage, in May 2003, that she was referred to see hip specialist, Mr Fares Haddad, a leading consultant orthopaedic surgeon from the University College and Middlesex Hospitals. Mr Haddad immediately decided that she needed a total hip replacement as soon as possible to prevent any worsening of her condition and to relieve the pain in her hip and back.

Due to her young age this would normally be a difficult decision to take as the majority of currently used hip replacements are not expected to last for much more than 15 years. This would mean that Jillian could need a second hip replacement when she was aged 64, still a young age for even a first hip replacement. As second and third hip replacements are costly and not usually as successful as the primary hip replacement, it was an important consideration for Mr Haddad when deciding whether to proceed with surgery or not. However, as the Oxinium hip was now available, and had been proven to be twice as durable as current implants and much harder wearing, he decided to perform a total hip replacement using Oxinium as there was a chance it could last Jillian's lifetime.

Three months ago, in November 2003, Jillian underwent a total hip replacement and had a remarkable recovery. She had the operation on a Friday, was out of bed the next day, and was discharged from hospital the following Thursday.In under a week she was out of hospital and able to walk, and within 3 to 4 weeks was back to normal health.

Mrs Clark commented:

"Before having this new Oxinium hip I could only walk a certain distance, had to think about avoiding standing for long periods, and suffered with dreadful pain. I am now pain free, and my new hip has meant that the leg length has been adjusted to the same as my right leg, so I no longer limp, and my back pain has gone. It is such a relief because I can now walk my dog for as long as I like and can think about going to concerts again where I may have to stand. It really has completely changed my life and even the small things most people take for granted I really appreciate that I can do, like walking my dog and having normal balance."