THR Lyndam's Cable Story

[Lyndam]

@Josephine, I have seen the surgeon and he has the same opinion as you with regards to the metal fraying and bits of debris from the cable, nothing to worry about.

However, with regards to post #2 above, he said it was an unusual view but comparing the 6 week post op May 2017 xray with February 2019, he says there is no evidence of loosening. The darker patches are areas of cancellous bone according to him, the radiologists report does not raise any red flags either.

So, in the interests of clarity and peace of mind for me, could you have a look at the two xrays from those dates for me please. 2017 on the left and 2019 on the right.
Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

I'm afraid your xrays were not of diagnostic quality. I need to enlarge them quite a bit and when I did, they pixilated making them unreadable. But from what I could see, they are exactly as I described them previously which was thus

The stem itself is not loose, but the cement where it interfaces with the bone has a large cavity between it and the bone.

 

[Lyndam]

@Josephine, with reference to above post #24, could you have a look at these please.
The first two are May 2017 6 weeks after the revision, the next one is February 2018 as is the last one which you have already looked at, but I added it for comparison.
Thank you for your time.

 

[Lyndam]

Hi @Josephine, are you able to have a look at the x rays above for me please. To me, the views from the more usual AP and lateral positions don't show the cavity spaces like the one that I sent you about the cerclage wire. Hip is being very well behaved for the last month, which is amazing after 2 years of niggly pain, I don't want to go and make a fuss about this if it's possible all could be ok and I'm finally getting strength back too.
Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

I've cropped your images because the actual hip was too small to be seen well. But now they are of an appropriate size, I can see that all of them have increasingly obvious gaps between the bone and the cement. Hope this helps but I am pleased your symptoms are abating. If you feel it appropriate, then by all means wait a while before you bring this to the attention of your surgeon. There is one thing that is certain in human biology - nothing is ever for certain!

 

[Lyndam]

Thank you @Josephine, I appreciate you looking at them for me and your opinion is valued.
I asked the surgeon about the gaps a few weeks ago, see post #21 above, which is why I was double checking with you by asking you to look at the additional x rays. I see the same things as you do, and I trust you. He didn't seem too happy about my questions, he has a 'need to know' thing going on which doesn't include the patient.
Is there any harm to be done by watching and waiting for now? All previous symptoms of pain have diminished greatly and strength is returning rapidly. I am finally experiencing the hip I longed for and paid for!

 

[Josephine]

Is there any harm to be done by watching and waiting for now?

I already said this ....

If you feel it appropriate, then by all means wait a while before you bring this to the attention of your surgeon.

 

[Lyndam]

Sorry @Josephine, badly worded question, I wondered how long a while might be - a year or more? He hasn't scheduled a visit, just said come back again if I need to. I could ask my GP to arrange xrays in 6 months or a year, assuming of course there is no recurrence of the pain(s).