Precision woodworking, extreme skill

[brian wight]

You are right Ken, but there is still some rasp work involve to fit things to the bone. The most amazing thing to me is that they can now do it on an outpatient basis. My wife was in the surgery center for just under 24 hours and is already walking on crutches.

And I believe they use rasps in 0.5mm increments if I remember correctly, so it'll take a dozen different rasps to get to the final size.

They also use a ball type rasp on a drill to make the socket spherical. Oh, and don't forget the oscillating type saw they use to cut the head of the femur off

I'm a med student and watched a dozen of these procedures last fall. Knee replacement surgery is pretty interesting too.

[Ray Bell]

David,
The best to your wife, I hope her recovery is quick, and complete. Can I ask where she had this done? Although I believe this surgery is rather common place now here in the Tri-Cities, I have a friend who needs this done, but for some reason has much more faith in the Seattle area Drs. and medical centers.

[Dana Nurmela]

Good luck to your wife. It sounds like she will make it through with flying colors (especially with the painkillers ).

I recently had a rod removed from my femur (thanks to a car accident many years ago) and my Ortho doc (who I've known for quite a while) explained to me the procedure. Long story short, these rods are threaded on one end. Insert bolt, attach the dent puller, and away you go until it is out.

Needless to say, I have exactly the same scars as when I had it put in, only now they have been "refreshed"