Hip Surgery is a very common procedure with extremely high success rates particularly with the Furlong® HAC total hip replacement.
Unlike traditional hip implants, the Furlong® HAC total hip replacement is not held in place by bone cement, which tends to fail after 10-15 years. The Furlong® HAC total hip replacement is coated with a material which forms a natural bond with your bone and, barring accident, can reasonably be expected to last a lifetime.
The key to the success of HAC is that it is the mineral substance that gives bone its hardness. When the coated prosthesis is implanted into the femur it is held still by the "cone". During this time the Hydroxyapatite Ceramic or "bone without the gift of life" is given life by the body fluids and within just three days begins to be covered and penetrated by the patient's own bone. Once a broken bone is united it is joined for all time and so it is with the HAC coated prosthesis. After three months the coated prosthesis and the bone are joined together like any other bone.
The Foundation is not in a position to offer clinical advice and you should therefore discuss your case with your GP, who is best qualified to recommend you to a consultant.
To learn more about the Furlong Hip; find answers to frequently asked questions and read patient references, download our Patient's Guide to Hip Replacement (PDF 400kb)
Remember me? I wrote in the last Newsletter of my intention to walk the Inca Trail in Peru. Well just 10 months after my Furlong® H-A.C. total hip replacement, I set off with my new hip for Bolivia, and then on to Peru and the Trail.
We started our trek in the town of Mollepata and walked for three days, reaching a height of 17,050 feet before descending along the valley to join the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. This involved a further three days hard walking up and down very steep paths.
We started at 8am every morning, often arriving at our camp site around 4.30pm. My hip has so quickly become part of me that I hardly gave it a thought. At the ripe old age of 52 I found I was frequently out-walking the 21 year olds.
It is hard now to remember the pain I was in before the operation. Although I do not do "keep fit" I am very active and this I am sure has helped greatly in my amazing recovery.
What next? Well, I think maybe the Himalayas!
Deborah Barrett
Bucks.
Implant Offers 'Hip for Life' Hope - Yorkshire Post - August 2003 (PDF 510 kb)
As Britain's Population ages, more people need hip replacements - but serious problems over their long-term effectiveness often lead to major complications. Now an advance from Sheffield could offer a pain-free future.
Brave Simon Battles On - Burton Mail - May 2004 (PDF 222 kb)
A Burton teenager has become one of the youngest people in the country to have both hips replaced.
When I saw my X-Rays they were horrendous - Family Circle - February 2005 (PDF 465 kb)
As a vet Gill was on her feet all day - but standing up was sheer agony for her ... "My hip replacement is great, I work full time and we keep active as a family, cycling and taking long walks."
It was wonderful ending up 100% pain free - Choice Magazine - August 2004
A new implant is saving hip replacement patients from having to undergo painful surgery.