FDA OKs Hip Resurfacing System
FDA OKs Hip Resurfacing System
Metal Devices Used to Replace Parts of Damaged Hip Joint
May 11, 2006 -- The FDA has approved a hip resurfacing system for people with hip damage.
The product is called the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) System. It's designed to relieve hip pain and improve hip function by replacing parts of the hip joint while conserving more bone than in traditional hip replacement.
The system is made by Smith & Nephew Inc. of Memphis. A Smith & Nephew news release notes that the system is the only FDA-approved hip resurfacing system in the U.S. It was first introduced in July 1997 in the U.K. and has now been implanted in more than 60,000 patients in 26 countries.
Smith & Nephew says it will train 50 U.S. surgeons in the first phase of the system's U.S. introduction. "Training will be provided in the U.S. and Europe, with the first U.S. surgeries expected to take place this summer," states Smith & Nephew's news release.
The system has two parts: a metal cup that replaces the damaged surface of the hip socket and a cap that covers the resurfaced ball-shaped bone at the top of the thigh (femoral head). The cap has a small stem that is inserted into the thigh bone.
"The cap moves within the cup," says the FDA. "The surfaces that rub against each other (the bearing couple) are made from highly polished metal."
"The BHR System relieves hip pain and improves hip function by replacing the parts of your hip that have been severely damaged by degenerative joint diseases," says the FDA. Those degenerative joint diseases include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The FDA says that the BHR System is "intended for patients who, due to their relatively younger age or increased activity level, may not be suitable for traditional total hip replacement due to an increased possibility of requiring future hip joint revision."
FDA OKs Hip Resurfacing System
Metal Devices Used to Replace Parts of Damaged Hip Joint
May 11, 2006 -- The FDA has approved a hip resurfacing system for people with hip damage.
The product is called the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) System. It's designed to relieve hip pain and improve hip function by replacing parts of the hip joint while conserving more bone than in traditional hip replacement.
The system is made by Smith & Nephew Inc. of Memphis. A Smith & Nephew news release notes that the system is the only FDA-approved hip resurfacing system in the U.S. It was first introduced in July 1997 in the U.K. and has now been implanted in more than 60,000 patients in 26 countries.
Smith & Nephew says it will train 50 U.S. surgeons in the first phase of the system's U.S. introduction. "Training will be provided in the U.S. and Europe, with the first U.S. surgeries expected to take place this summer," states Smith & Nephew's news release.
How It Works
The system has two parts: a metal cup that replaces the damaged surface of the hip socket and a cap that covers the resurfaced ball-shaped bone at the top of the thigh (femoral head). The cap has a small stem that is inserted into the thigh bone.
"The cap moves within the cup," says the FDA. "The surfaces that rub against each other (the bearing couple) are made from highly polished metal."
"The BHR System relieves hip pain and improves hip function by replacing the parts of your hip that have been severely damaged by degenerative joint diseases," says the FDA. Those degenerative joint diseases include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The FDA says that the BHR System is "intended for patients who, due to their relatively younger age or increased activity level, may not be suitable for traditional total hip replacement due to an increased possibility of requiring future hip joint revision."
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