SURGICAL FEMORAL HEAD RECOVERY PROGRAMME

What Is a Hip Replacement?
Hip replacement, or arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which the diseased parts of the hip joint are removed and replaced with new, artificial parts. These artificial parts are called the prosthesis. The goals of hip replacement surgery are to improve mobility by relieving pain and improve function of the hip joint.

What is the femoral head?
The femoral head is part of the hip joint, and is usually discarded after the operation. However, beneath the damaged cartilage surface of the femoral head, there remains healthy cortical and cancellous bone tissue. This makes the femoral head an ideal source of bone for many allograft applications.

Who can donate their femoral head?
Any patient undergoing hip replacement surgery.

Why do you test my blood?
All donors will be screened and tested for transmittable diseases, to ensure the safety of the recipients. Refer to the NTB Process for more detailed information.

What are my rights when I have a HIV test?
According to the National Policy of the Health Act (Act Nr. 116 of 1990) with regards to HIV testing

You have the right:

• Not to be tested for HIV without your free and informed consent.
• To be informed about the test; its implication, benefits, risks and alternatives before you give consent. The counselling will be a confidential dialogue with a suitably qualified person for example your doctor, nurse, social worker, psychologist or trained HIV counsellor. You are also within your rights towaive the pre-test counselling
• To have your test results treated as confidential. An abnormal test result will be made available to your doctor and will be on record at the NTB.
• To refuse to take the test. In doing so the NTB will decline any Femoral Head Donation. Your decision not to be tested will not jeopardize your treatment in any way.

Is the test always correct? Can there be mistakes?
All tests are performed by registered laboratories and are very accurate. However this test must be regarded as a screening test only and not diagnostic. If your results show that you may be infected with the HIV/Aids virus, you can have this confirmed by having further tests done.

What is the cost involved for myself/ medical aid?
There is no cost involved for yourself or your medical aid in the donation and the testing of the blood specimen. If however there is a need to confirm the test result, this will be your request and therefore for your account.

Notification of results?
An abnormal (positive) test result will be made available to your doctor.

What does it mean if the test is negative?
It means you are currently not infected does not mean that you may not be infected in the future.

What does it mean if the test is positive?
It means that you may be infected with the HIV virus. PLEASE CONFIRM with a follow up confirmation test(s).

The Surgery
During hip replacement, the surgeon removes the diseased bone tissue and cartilage from the hip joint. The healthy parts of the hip are left intact.

The surgeon then replaces the head of the femur (the ball) and the acetabulum (the socket) with new, artificial parts. The new hip is made of materials that allow a natural, gliding motion of the joint. Hip replacement surgery usually lasts 2 to 3 hours

The removed femoral head is handed from the surgical field and, instead of being discarded, is placed in a container labelled with the patient's identity and put in the refrigerator to await collection. A blood sample (two tubes) is also collected at this time and placed in the container. In no way does the collection of the femoral head or blood sample disturb the normal course of the procedure.

The femoral head is then collected and delivered to the NTB for processing. The blood samples are sent to laboratory for the required tests to insure recipient safety. Once the results have been returned and deemed acceptable, the femoral head is processed and packaged according to standard procedures.

The Surgical Femoral Head Recovery Program is a way to increase the availability of this valuable type of tissue with minimal effort to the donor. But, from that generosity, another's life can be greatly improved.

Where can I find out more about femoral head donation?
Contact us at the NTB if you are having total hip replacement surgery and are interested in donating your femoral head.

To learn more about total hip replacement in general go to: ww.webmd.com/hw/arthritis/aa14678.asp

To learn more about HIV, the Department of Health established a toll free AIDS helpline in 1992, which is managed by Life Line. You can contact them at 0800 012 322 or for more information go to www.aidsinfo.co.za