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A Medical Mystery: Artificial Hips that Squeak
International Herald Tribune ^ | 5/11/2008 | Barnaby J. Feder

Posted on 05/15/2008 8:45:54 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta

The first time John Johnson's artificial hip squeaked, he was bending down to pick up a pine cone in his yard in Thomasville, Georgia. Johnson looked up, expecting to find an animal nearby.

Susan O'Toole, a nutritionist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, who first squeaked going up stairs after getting home from her hip-replacement surgery in 2005, said she thought the banister she was gripping needed repair.

And Edward Heary, an apprentice appraiser in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, said clients sometimes look with embarrassment or concern at their floorboards when he walks though their homes.

As those three patients - and hundreds of others - discovered once they pinpointed the source of the noise, they had become guinea pigs in an unfolding medical mystery.

Their artificial hips are made of CERAMIC materials that were promoted as being much more durable than older models. But for reasons not yet fully understood, their hips started to squeak, raising questions about whether the noises herald more serious malfunctions.

"There is something amiss here," said Douglas Padgett, chief of adult reconstructive and joint replacement service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: artificialjoints; health; medicine
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Some patients squeak even they are walking normally, like O'Toole or Michael Mueller, a software executive in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mueller is so frustrated with squeaks, pain and popping noises for which he blames his ceramic hip that he has displayed his problem on YouTube.

1 posted on 05/15/2008 8:45:55 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

It’s a good thing he wasn’t getting an artificial seal for the rear end ...


2 posted on 05/15/2008 8:48:02 AM PDT by mgc1122
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Anatomy of a Squeak

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/09/business/20080511_SQUEAK_GRAPHIC.html#step1

Scroll down the page and click on the video ‘Squeaking in Action.’


3 posted on 05/15/2008 8:48:23 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: Dr. Scarpetta
My hips aren't fake, and they still squeak, crackle and pop.

So do my knees, in fact.
4 posted on 05/15/2008 8:49:14 AM PDT by LIConFem (Thompson. Lifetime ACU Rating: 86 -- Hunter Lifetime ACU Rating: 92 (any combo will do, fellas))
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

WD-40 and duct tape. That’ll fix ‘em up!


5 posted on 05/15/2008 8:50:42 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
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To: Dr. Scarpetta
If they don't like the noise, they should talk with heart valve recipients who have the artificial valves that click with each beat. Now that would drive me nuts!
6 posted on 05/15/2008 8:52:35 AM PDT by mollynme (cogito, ergo freepum)
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http://www.youtube.com/user/mikemuelleraz

a demonstration of Mike Mueller walking with his squeaky hip replacement...


7 posted on 05/15/2008 8:53:13 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: neverdem

*Ping


8 posted on 05/15/2008 8:54:26 AM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

Easy fix.

9 posted on 05/15/2008 8:57:41 AM PDT by Eccl 10:2 (Pray for the peace of Jerusalem - Ps 122:6)
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To: Dr. Scarpetta
"It can interrupt sex when my wife starts laughing," said one man, who discussed the matter on the condition that he not be named.

One of those side effects you just don't think about, lol. Just another lawyer goldmine coming I suppose.

10 posted on 05/15/2008 8:58:03 AM PDT by Reagan is King (Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave.)
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

That is sooo messed-up! As someone who has worked with machines (and pedal steel guitars) for most of my life, I hear that kinda noise from a machine, I know it’s gonna fail soon!


11 posted on 05/15/2008 8:58:35 AM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

There is something amiss here,”

Oh really, Captain Obvious?


12 posted on 05/15/2008 9:01:42 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

My beloved fell a few weeks back, and ended up with a partial hip replacement. I think his is stainless steel.

Should we worry?


13 posted on 05/15/2008 9:02:21 AM PDT by jacquej
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To: Dr. Scarpetta; Reagan is King
"It can interrupt sex when my wife starts laughing,"

Why? It never interrupts me.

14 posted on 05/15/2008 9:02:25 AM PDT by techcor
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To: Dr. Bogus Pachysandra

Oh my, I can’t imagine. My aritificial hip is doing fine —it’s all titanium. I wonder if the problem is with the ceramic, or if its a matter of not getting enough “joint juice” in there.

I would hate to think it would fail or worse yet, freeze up. He needs to see his Orthopedic surgeon ASAP.


15 posted on 05/15/2008 9:03:50 AM PDT by duckbutt (Those who pay no taxes have no check on their appetite for services.)
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To: Reagan is King

“It can interrupt sex when my wife starts laughing....”

No sympathy from the wife....Honey can we squeak tonight?


16 posted on 05/15/2008 9:04:32 AM PDT by AngelesCrestHighway
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

I know an orthopedist that wrote an article 10 years ago that ceramic hips and knees are not any good and should not be used in implants.

It really ticked off one of his partners and friends who were promoting and using ceramic hips. They also made big bucks from their promotions.... hmmmmm


17 posted on 05/15/2008 9:04:35 AM PDT by Kimmers
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To: Dr. Scarpetta

Thanks for the ping.


18 posted on 05/15/2008 9:48:57 AM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: jacquej
My beloved fell a few weeks back, and ended up with a partial hip replacement. I think his is stainless steel. Should we worry?

Probably not. My understanding is that a partial hip replacement means that the surgeon replaced the "ball" of the hip joint but the original socket the ball fits into remains. Mine lasted 16 years before I had to have a full hip replacement after a fall on ice. I believe they do a partial if the break is up in the "neck" of the joint, in between the ball and the length of the leg.

Let me check out a link for a hip replacement support group and I'll freepmail it to you, if it's still around.

19 posted on 05/15/2008 10:10:46 AM PDT by LSAggie
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To: LSAggie
"My beloved fell a few weeks back, and ended up with a partial hip replacement. I think his is stainless steel. Should we worry?"

I have two artificial hips installed in this old body. They were made by an AMERICAN Company Biomet. Got the Metal on Metal versions that will last longer than I will live.

One hip was replaced in 2000, and that replacement shows no appreciable wear. The other hip was done 2005 right after Katrina. I walked out of Turo hospital 4 days after the surgery, and was back at work 2 weeks later.

If your beloved has an appliance made by Biomet - quit worrying!

http://www.biomet.com/patients/m2a_magnum.cfm

20 posted on 05/15/2008 10:37:56 AM PDT by Dacus943
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