Glenys | OSSIS implant recipient
Glenys Gardner and husband Rod, pictured in Akaroa. Since her implant, Glenys can now walk the length of the Esplanade in Akaroa and back.
Glenys was born with congenital dislocation of her hips. This went unnoticed until she started walking. Despite best efforts to rectify her developmental dysplasia, medical experts were unable to treat her condition successfully, and her femoral heads started to collapse and flatten over time.
Despite this setback, Glenys experienced a relatively mobile and pain-free life through to her twenties. She worked and was very active. She danced, roller-skated and played basketball and squash.
“In my early twenties, I experienced a big crash,” explains Glenys. “I had my two children by the age of 25, and by the time I was 26, my hips weren’t good at all, and I needed surgery.”
Her first prosthesis was a Charnley low-friction hip replacement on her left side, which lasted seven years. This was followed by a second prosthesis, which lasted three years. This, in turn, was replaced by a third.
“My third prosthesis came loose, and I fractured my femur at the base of the femoral shaft,” says Glenys. “I was in hospital for an eight-week stay, where I was attended by Professor Alistair Rothwell and his excellent team. They replaced it with a new prosthesis, which sadly lasted only three years,” she adds.
After several failed prostheses, it would be easy to imagine Glenys becoming cynical and wondering if she could ever contemplate a surgery-free life. “I never imaged I would need that much work on my hips,” she says.
Nevertheless, she remains remarkably positive and has a lot of respect and appreciation for the work done on her hips over the years. “Given my childhood dysplasia, I don’t expect to go out and do what I’d love to do. My aim in life is to be able to walk and all the surgeons who have taken care of me over the years have helped give me a great quality of life,” she explains.
OSSIS implant recommended by her Orthopaedic Surgeon
Aside from the recurring surgeries on her left side, Glenys also required a primary surgery on the right side, as she was in a lot of pain. She was reluctant to have this done due to the ongoing problems she was experiencing on her left side, but the deterioration and pain left her no choice.
Christchurch orthopaedic surgeon Mr James Taylor did the primary surgery on Glenys’ right hip. He was also due to revise her left hip but was unable to proceed due to ill health. “James specialised in difficult hip surgeries and I appreciate the work he did. I was disappointed he was unable to operate on my left hip and was sorry to hear about his illness.”
As a result, Glenys became a patient of Mr James Burn, another Christchurch orthopaedic surgeon. He was one of the founders of OSSIS so understood the benefits that a custom implant good bring for Glenys. He understood the challenges presented by complex degenerative defects and presented Glenys with a custom implant option that gave her hope.
“I had heard wonderful things about James, including that he had a great reputation in the orthopaedic fraternity. After meeting him, I had full confidence in his recommendations and appreciate the lengths he went to help me. He offered me a solution at age 68 that he believed could last me for the rest of my life,”
Mr Burn was aware of the challenges faced by both surgeon and patient with revision surgeries. These include poor stability, bone deterioration, additional cost, and lower quality of life. Failure to provide patients with the best solution first-time can also leave patients suffering further ill-health.
Glenys had very little bone at the top of her femur and was at risk of further fractures and resulting complications. Using OSSIS’ unique process, a custom 3D printed titanium implant was created for Glenys, using her specific imaging data.
This meant minimal bone removal during surgery and better screw trajectories into her higher quality bone. The result was she now enjoys a much-reduced risk of further revision surgeries.
Increased confidence, mobility and strength
Mr Burn inserted Glenys’s OSSIS implant in October 2018. Three years post-op, and she remains very happy with the results.
“Before surgery, I was terrified of fracturing my femur which, at my time of life, could be disastrous—even fatal. Leading up to the surgery, I was very limited in my mobility. I retired and gave up work because I couldn’t afford to take any risks.
“Now, I don’t have any pain in my hip at all, and I can step out in confidence. I’m stronger and in better physical condition,” she explains. “This implant has given me a second, or last, chance of being fully mobile. I have an elbow crutch but can walk around the city all day now.”
Glenys is realistic about her prognosis and accepts she will never walk without a limp. “I have limitations, and I don’t expect to climb mountains or run a marathon. But I can walk, go places and do things like any active person. I am also mobile around the house and manage to do everything I need to do at home.”
She is happy to accept the need to use an elbow crutch, because it supports her ongoing safety and mobility.
Glenys also attributes her mobility, health, and positivity to her husband’s support and her diligence in persevering with her post-op rehabilitation regime. “I was told to walk,” she says, “so I did. I’d even get up in the night to walk, so I didn’t stiffen up after surgery. I am also fortunate to have the best husband that ever lived,” she adds.
Appreciates OSSIS’ ongoing support
She is also very complimentary of the OSSIS staff she has dealt with throughout the process. “I rang OSSIS recently because I needed an MRI done, and I wanted to check if that was ok because of my implant.
“They couldn’t have been more helpful—they even sent me some pictures to help. I believe I could ring them at any time, which is very important for me, as you feel very vulnerable if you can’t get hold of specialists when you need support.”
Glenys’ wish is that she can keep walking for the rest of her life. Based on her experience since the OSSIS implant, things are looking very positive for this outlook.