Comments on: Suffering in Silence: Howard Sadwin’s Story of Metal-on-Metal Hip Failure

By: Elizabeth Bledsoe

Elizabeth Bledsoe — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 11:09:30 +0000

I am sorry to report that I have the exact same story. I was told that there was nothing wrong with my hip replacement. Even though in the very short weeks after my total hip I began to have horrible pain and when I would walk (especially when going u or down stairs, you could hear my implant “squeak” like a closing screen door, it would pop in and out of place. I was sent to physical therapy but after an initial evaluation the therapist said “I am sorry but I will not touch you because I really question the “stability” of the implant.” Things just went downhill from there. I was in contact with the orthopedic surgeon that did my surgery who had me come in and all he did was do an x-ray and said “This hip is fine noting wrong with my work”. He said if you are looking for pain eds you will have to go somewhere else. I informed my surgeon that I was not looking for pain mes just wanted my quality of life returned. He refused to see me for further check-ups. His actual words were, ” you just need to exercise.” Again, I explained to him the reason I could not rehab my hip because of the instability of the implant. So i have been in pain management since that day. I have no quality of like and now find out that I have to have the surgery on the right hip and it scares me to death.
Still suffering in severe pain with very limited mobility and really impaired quality of life. Please, please stay away from this product. …………………………………………Still suffering in Fla., Elizabeth Bledsoe

By: Howard Sadwin’s Suffering from Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant | Mesh Medical Device Newsdesk « Earl's View

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 05:50:16 +0000

[...] TagsFDA, Food & Drug Administration, Hip Replacement, hip resurfacing, Howard, Johnson, Sarasota Memorial Hospital, UNited States Howard Sadwin’s Suffering from Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant | Mesh Medical Device Newsdesk. [...]

By: Searcy Denney Metal on Metal Hip Implant Failure Client Testifies Before the FDA Panel on Orthopedic Devices - Florida Mass Tort Attorneys, Lawyers | Searcy Mass Torts

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:08:52 +0000

[...] of patients who have been severely injured by defective metal-on-metal hip implants. You can read about Howard’s ordeal caused by a defective Smith & Nephew hip implant. This entry was posted in Uncategorized. [...]

By: Butch

Butch — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:46:21 +0000

Howard,
I too have had an early, painful failure of my Smith and Nephew metal on metal BHR hip replacement. The thing didn’t last three years, and I also now have a condition my doctor called metalosis, which are foreign ‘masses’ around my implant and are what caused the extreme pain and early failure I experienced with this new type of total hip. I was told these lesions form as a result of metal ions being released, when the metal rubbed against the metal in the Smith and nephew BHR joint (with every step). I was told these were just microscopic metal ‘shavings’, and they created these strange ‘pseudotumors’ which had to be cut out during the replacement surgery.

So I was told I could expect twenty years from this hip, wasn’t told it was a completely new (and untested design), and three years later am having the same hip replaced again. And I have the pleasure of paying for it twice! Not only that, but all of the pain and rehabilitation gets to be repeated (and paid for) as well. These companies are using us as guinea pigs, and couldn’t care less about the human beings that are suffering because of them being used as the ‘laboratory’ for these toxic devices.

My new (second) hip has a polyethylene liner on the pelvic side, because apparently my surgeon — who must have been hoodwinked by the device makers — no longer implants any metal on metal device. I agree this is an experience no other person should have to go through, and I would much rather have my old hip, arthritis and all, back in my body than to have had to endure this whole thing twice in 36 moths. Plus, I’m in my mid-fifties — how many more times will I need to have this done? I wonder if I’ll run out of pelvis for them to keep reaming into in order to place their artificial cups. What happens then?

I hope you start feeling better, Howard, and I’m glad and thankful you’re speaking out. I agree that more people should be warned, and I hope all hospitals stop using these if they haven’t already. These ‘caregivers’ harmed me. I mean they simply did more harm than good in both of our cases, and I’m reading about a lot more people like us who are out there going through the same thing all over the world. But at least the word is being spread thanks to guys like you.

By: Diane Fichter

Diane Fichter — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:48:33 +0000

Dear Howard
I am a mesh implant person also….I know how it has affected my daily living but can not fathom what you have gone through! I think it is a tragedy what you have had to go through and think your story needs to be put out there for all fellow implant or mesh patients along with potential patients. EVERYONE should know what the potential risks are PRIOR to surgery.
Keep up the good work in bringing light to your story and know that there are people out there who care!!! We are behind you 100%….
Take care

By: linda Kilpatrick

linda Kilpatrick — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:56:42 +0000

Dear Howard, I remember reading all about this and what has happened to people with these implants. SFor mne, suffering from a mesh implant and trying to live a life with pain is hard enough, What you are going through is darn right terrible. I just wanted to let you know that someone cares.