Bilateral hip replacement

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msfpower

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Has anyone on this thread had two THRs at the same time? If so, can you describe the rehab? I want the good, the bad and the ugly! I had a THR 14 years ago on the left side. Now, the right side has deteriorated and the left is showing signs of osteomyelitis. The surgeon is suggesting two at once. Having been through the rehab for one, I can't imagine what it's like for two.

Also: can anyone break down the decision regading metal v. ceramic? I didn't have a choice the last time, but this time I do.

Thanks very much.
 
msf, I moved your post into a thread of it's own so you will get your own answers and more attention and so it doesn't derail the other thread. Off topic questions like that have a tendency to get passed over in a big thread.

Anyway - welcome to BoneSmart for one. And for two, bilateral hips are very, very commonly done and the rehab isn't that bad at all. In fact, there are some things that make it better which include only going through the restrictions once for both hips and being able to stand on both hips right off! You will be amazed! I'm not sure that are too many bad or ugly sides! But the others will soon tell you. We have several BTHRs on here.
 
Welcome.msf!! I had total RTHR in Nov! My OS chose metal on metal for me,
And truthfully, with his stellar reputation, I trusted his choice! At that point,
I didn't care what material he chose....anything to spare me
From debilitating bone on bone arthritis! Its bee a wonderful choice
And every day gets better and better!!! :)
The surgery gave me my life back! Good luck!!! :)
 
msf-- had BTHR on April 1, 2009 so, if you like, you can check my recovery process to see what one person's recovery is like. I also had MOM, and an anterior approach. I requested MOM based upon discussions with OS friends of mine and my surgeon. My OS does all kinds and agreed to do it for me. Jo will probably tell you this, but in hindsight, I think that material choice is one of the less significant choices and one in which you should discuss with your OS.
This was a first-time surgery for me so I don't know how revision surgery affects the decision, but as for 2 at once, assuming you need both, I would not do it any other way. Even though it sounds like a big deal, the truth is that bilateral surgery is not 2x as hard a single surgery. Rather it is about 10-20% harder, I would guess. As for my hospital post-op recovery, my hospital basically gave me an extra 12 hours to rest after surgery before getting me up. For singly hip anterior surgeries without complications, the PT staff got people on the afternoon after the morning surgery. for me, a bilat, they let me rest in the afternoon and got me up the next morning. So I basically was one work shift behind single hip recovery patients. If you will be weight bearing after surgery, and this may not be the case for a revision, then bilateral surgery, I suggest will be much easier.
Make sure you get a surgeon who is experienced with bilats. Jo suggests that bilateral surgery is common. I'm not sure how true that is here in the good ole' US of A. I had to travel a bit to find my guy, but it was well worth the trip.
 
Welcome to BoneSmart, msfpower! We're glad you decided to join us. As you have already read, the forum has members who have had successful bilat hip replacements. I think you'll find things have changed significantly since you had your first THR 14 years ago. Technology and techniques are not the same!

Best of luck to you. Feel free to post any time you have a question or would like to chat about your surgery.
 
Hi MSF! Welcome to the Bonesmart! I had a RTHR on 3/17/09 and am 3 weeks into my recovery. I can't provide any insight with bilateral hips, but I can offer my experience on the implant type. Since I'm only 27, my OS chose ceramic on ceramic for me. This implant has very low wear, so it will hopefully last a LONG time. Also, I could not get metal on metal since I hope to have children one day and did not want to risk metal ions (even though there is no evidence -still a concern). You will read info on ceramic parts "sqeaking" which is a concern, but I spoke to my OS about this and his brand. Also, did a lot of praying that this won't happen to me! So far I'm sqeak free :)

GOOD LUCK!
Melissa
 
Hi MFS,
Yes there are a few on here that did both at once. If you don't have a good leg to stand on they why not just get it over with. ;)
Do a search under simultaneous bilats and you will find a lot of encouraging posts.
I have a combo Metal composite rod, ceramic ball and the new gen x linked poly cup liner. You can spend a lot of time making yourself crazy about which one is right for you. (I know I did) There are pros and cons to all of them.
Step one get a surgeon that is awesome.
Step two be very clear with your after surgery expectations. I even brought in pictures. (ya he probably thought I was a kook but that's OK)
Step three trust his judgment. ;)

Best wishes,
Donna
 
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