The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) procedure has given a new lease of life to thousands of active patients across the globe. It has comprehensively proved a suitable alternative to total hip replacement for patients who wish to stay active following hip surgery. However, hip resurfacing is not appropriate for all patients. The procedure is typically unsuitable for patients with poor femoral head bone stock or with severe femoral head deformity. In these circumstances, the only other available treatment option would be a total hip replacement, which is associated with poor outcomes for young and active patients.

To address the lack of viable, alternative treatments for such patients, Mr Derek McMinn (the inventor/surgeon behind the BHR) introduced a new short-stemmed hip replacement, the Birmingham Mid Head Resection (BMHR). Like Hip Resurfacing, the procedure is bone-conserving and allows patients to be active following surgery. This article examines the requirement for such a short-stemmed device, using first-hand patient testimony as a starting point.

Martin runs a lively Guest House in Nottingham. He began experiencing left hip pain during his mid 50s. What started out as the odd twinge of pain worsened until simple tasks like putting socks on and container house getting in and out of cars were nearly impossible. "Hobbies like playing badminton and my long distance walking were seriously affected," he says. "I had to give up badminton completely and I was only able to take my dog on short walks. I used to enjoy lovely walks in hilly Derbyshire but with the hip pain getting worse and worse, these were completely out of the question."

After four and a half years of agony, Martin decided enough was enough and began researching his options. He soon heard about the BHR procedure pioneered by Derek McMinn in Birmingham. He was attracted to the idea of getting back to his active lifestyle and booked a consultation. Looking at his x-ray, Mr McMinn told him that the hip joint was arthritic. modular house He recalls Mr McMinn despairing that, "The ball joint was so eroded that it wasn't suitable for hip resurfacing. Unfortunately, the anti-inflammatory pain killers I'd taken for many years had accelerated the deterioration." Martin was saddened by the news because the only option now was a total hip replacement. Or so he thought.