The Advisory Committee overseeing the Alberta HIP study does not currently recommend routine testing for metal ion levels in patients who have had a metal-on-metal hip resurfacing. The committee advises metal-on-metal hip resurfacing patients to contact their orthopaedic surgeon if they are experiencing problems in their resurfaced hip.
Alberta HIP is a long-term study, begun in 2004, comparing the safety and effectiveness of metal-on-metal hip resurfacing with conventional total hip replacement. Currently, more than 1,000 Albertans are participating. They will be followed for 10 years from their surgery date.
The health significance of elevated metal ions in the blood has not yet been determined.
Music in Motion Galas Raise More Than $1 Million for Bone and Joint Health Care in Alberta
The 2011 Music in Motion galas in Calgary and Edmonton have raised more than $1 million to improve care and rehabilitation for Albertans with bone and joint disease.
Canadian singing sensation Nikki Yanofsky brought the audience to their feet as she closed both venues with I Believe, the Vancouver Winter Olympics theme song.
The 17-year-old singer who wowed the world with her performances at the Olympics and Paralympics belted, crooned and purred a selection of jazz and pop greats on Sept. 20 at Calgary's Jack Singer Concert Hall and on Oct. 2 at Enmax Hall in Edmonton’s Winspear Centre. She was joined by jazz legend Tommy Banks, trumpet virtuoso Jens Lindemann and the Alberta Ballet as well as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (Calgary event) and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (Edmonton event).
A portion of the proceeds will go to support the work of Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute. Proceeds will also be used to fund the creation of a world class Bone Research Laboratory for the McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health at the University of Calgary and to support the work of outstanding University of Alberta physical therapy students who are dedicated to improving patient care.
Ortho Connect - Talk to Someone Who's Been through a Surgery Just Like Yours
Preparing for major surgery can be overwhelming. Maybe even a little frightening. Sometimes it helps to talk to someone who has already been through a surgery like yours to get a personal account of what to expect and how best to prepare.
The Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation offers Ortho Connect – a free, telephone-based program of support by patients for patients. Ortho Connect is available to anyone who has been referred for any orthopaedic treatment anywhere in Canada. If you're a patient who needs surgery or a caregiver to patient, call the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation now to be matched with a trained volunteer who has already had a surgery similar to yours.
1-800-461-3639 or go online at www.canorth.org.
