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Revision THR Complex surgery with revisions, infection, sepsis, and more…

@danelady .... I'm so very sorry to hear that your hip dislocated once again. Obviously something needs to be done. I'm thinking you may need to get several opinions before proceeding with anything. What did your surgeon have to say about this 3rd dislocation other than it was tough to reset?

Please know this is not your fault in any way! The hip is not right. This should not be happening.
 
Oh no, I'm so sorry, you were doing so well.
You have been through so much, it's just not fair.
Prayers and good thoughts coming toward you.:prayer:
 
I have just spent the day reading your entire blog! I feel like I just read a horror novel with a little bit of happiness thrown in and in the background a wonderful sense of humor!! I think you have an entire group of friends here that are rooting for you!!! Keep up your wonderful spirit if you can because you light up our lives!!!
 
Aww, this is heartbreaking! Please don't give up hope. I do agree that at least one, maybe even two other opinions may be in order, with surgeon's from practices unrelated to that of your current surgeon.
See if one or more come to the same conclusion before you proceed. Prayers for healing and wisdom to discern how to proceed...and with whom. Please stay in touch for support. We do care. :console2:
@danelady
 
I can't tell you all how much your kind words are helping me right now.
Jamie, I haven't even talked to my surgeon since the 3rd dislocation last Friday but he definitely heard about it since the ER dr that was on duty happened to call the surgeon who would not actually operate on me but instead passed me off on the his associate (my surgeon) whom he stated he would 'co-surgeon' with.
CricketHip......yes, my surgeon said my only other options entail going back under the knife.
Thank you Layla.
Thank you everyone.

I have no intention of letting this guy cut on me again. I waited so long for something to be done to finally fix my hip and stop the excrutiating pain, only to be dealt an even worse hand. Never knowing when my hip will come apart is just unbearable. The EMTs and ER staff are always more than friendly and knowledgeable, but DAMMIT, this is not what I signed up for!
Gotta go, help with my laundry just arrived! Love to all.
 
Keep up the positive attitude. Sometimes we have to be very tenacious and keep searching for the right surgeon. I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, but you are right to continue to be assertive and search for someone who can help you. If you need any help finding surgeons to consult with, let me know and I'll see what I can do.
 
Have they tried to put a dual mobility component? Supposed to be very hard to dislocate. Good luck

Larry
 
Hi Larry. I was never offered a dual mobility. When my first revision in January failed it wasn't until April I was told there was a plate that could possibly help me, then not another word till September when I got the call to come in and see the dr. That's when I was shown the cast made of my damaged hip. Zimmer Biomet made the cast and used it to create the new acetabulum for me. It was put in on August 15.

The first month went great...then my first dislocation. After the 2nd one, my dr told me that if I have one more dislocation, which I had Saturday, my only options were to change the angle of the femoral component or install a Ring lock, which Zimmer also makes. My first thought was WHAT THE HECK? Am I some sort of cash cow for Zimmer? I would have to suffer thru another surgery, endure another recovery and all that mess again. Couldn't they do it all at once? Perhaps a dual mobility is not allowed by my insurance plan? So they will keep on paying for more and more surgeries?

Today I get fitted for a hip abduction brace, but I don't have confidence in any of this. I mean, 3 dislocations in less than a month after the custom fit piece was put in didn't work, why should this brace?
 
Big tears coming down my face for you!! In yoga we dedicate our practice for someone or some thing. I usually dedicate it to one of my patients. (I do chemotherapy). After I read your post i am dedicating it to you and your healing. You are so awesome to be so strong! Maybe with the brace and time to heal it wont come out.
 
The brace may work better than you think, but after 3 dislocations in such a short period of time, I can understand your concerns.

It's unlikely that an insurance company would deny a particular implant. You could ask your surgeon about the dual mobility. It's a Stryker product that is unique in the way it functions and is recommended at times for people needing a revision because of dislocations. However, if your surgeon's practice is only trained in Zimmer products, they would not be a good choice to suddenly switch to a Stryker implant. You might want to talk to a surgeon who routinely uses Stryker implants and see what he thinks about your situation.

Zimmer's ringloc system is a comparable product that offers increased joint stability where dislocation has been a problem. Although the design and technology are different from Stryker's dual mobility implant, the results of Zimmer's constrained liner are basically the same. The hip joint is more stable and much less likely to be put in a position where it would dislocate.

So, either option may be a good one for you. I don't know why your surgeon is suggesting changing the angle of the femoral implant. That would be a good question to ask....why that option versus just using the constrained ringloc implant? Giving you both options seems a bit unusual to me, as they should be able to determine why your hip is dislocating and then recommend the option that will fix the problem. If for no other reason than this, you might want to seek the opinion of a Stryker surgeon just to have another viewpoint. Here is a surgeon near you that I believe may use the Stryker products that you could consult:

Dr. John A. Maltry
Tucson Orthopedic Institute
Phone: 520-544-9700
 
@danelady I am so sorry to hear you're continuing to go through this. Definitely agree with both Layla and Jamie about looking into another surgeon and you seem to have made that decision. I do hope you can find a great surgeon to take over and get you straightened out and back to living your best retirement. Hang in there we're all here cheering for you and sending healing thoughts, good mojo and gentle cyber hugs. :console2:
 
@danelady I am ready to drive to you to give you hugs and support! This is not fair to you in any way, but there you are and you have to go through the storm to get to the other side and I hate this for you!
I just read Jamie's excellent advice to you above in post #173. There is your starting point, IMO.

Don't give up,, I can tell from reading your posts that you are full of spunk and energy and you will persevere.
You need to ask questions and find the surgical team that can get you on the right path.

But for now, I think that brace just might do the trick in stabilizing your hip which will let the inflamed tendons/ ligaments to heal and tighten up their tone. While using it, maybe contact the surgeon that Jamie left for you?

Wishing you the strength to make the right decisions and you are on my prayer list.
 
As i've said before, i follow your story. Jamie's note was great too! And please folks give all the name of the great surgeons here! it helps us. So many now are opting out of Medicare altogether but some are not. just know danelady that we are all with you.
 
I have been in a knee immobilizer for 8+ weeks 24/7 (except when watching tv on my bed a few hours a day) due to a dislocation. Will be in it until surgery, still awaiting a surgery date, lots of delays just had aspiration yesterday which was unsuccessful / no fluid.. Lots of fun...hang in there.
 
Oh goodness, I have tears in my eyes from reading all your replies. I am truly, truly humbled and honored that you would send me such support. So..where do I start? First off, I got the brace. Boy howdy, it looks like a saddle that a bull rider uses! Of course, that's only because of my girth at the time because let me tell ya, this brace gives me some real motivation to lose a few inches, lol. As they were closing the straps around me I said...Gee, I didn't see this model when I looked on your web sight. Lol. They did a 3D scan of my body and my thigh to get the perfect measurements, but I sure wasn't ready for what I saw! On the computer screen I looked like what's left of those overly curvaceous Roman statues seen on the sides of those Roman monuments, lol. It was cool back then, but NOT NOW! The brace is heavy, gawky, unbelievably uncomfortable BUT I found that it does put pressure where it is needed. I'll send photos from my phone. I hate the white so I will have to decorate it, maybe some skulls right now. I learned that sitting straight up and forward is what caused the femoral ball to slide backwards out of the socket and in the brace I kind of slouch backwards to keep everything in place, so I have to sort balance the food on a fork and into my mouth. No going out to eat for a few months, lol.

Jamie, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You had recommended Dr Maltry to me months ago and I called to make an appointment. They said they would get back to me and never did...not a call, not a text. Nothing. No problem, they are allowed to turn down a patient right? So I did some research myself....
I needed to find all new healthcare professionals now that I moved. My new PCP recommended an orthopedic specialist to me and when he took on look at my xrays he said...I'm not touching that! Well, ok I guess. He then referred me to another surgeon in a different practice a few miles away who told me...Hm, never seen THAT before but I'll take it on, only to change his mind an hour later. He said he would pass me on to the surgeon who performed the first revision which failed immediately supposedly because of my severe osteoporosis. Hm. Anyway, when I looked up Dr Maltry I saw he worked in the same practice as the first surgeon who refused to touch me. I guess Maltry got the warning that I was bad news? No matter, they have that privilege.

Being in such unrelenting pain and trying to find a new surgeon just left me ready to follow anybody who said they could fix me. Right now, I can only hope this brace helps my hip to get strong enough to stay in place although my surgeon said my hip could dislocate at any time, even years from now.

Thank you all once again. If I get around to decorating my brace I will definitely share it with you for a good laugh! It took a glass of wine for me to be brave enough to sit and pay a visit to you all, lol.

Ps: My T-shirt says Stay Loaded. It's from my truck driving t-shirt collection from Stay Loaded Apparel. Now that I'm off the road I noticed a lot of people are mistaking what that means. It means if your truck's not loaded and your wheels aren't turnin', you're not makin' money!

Ok, maybe one more little glass of wine......
 
You're right that Dr. Maltry is not for you because of his relationship with one of your previous surgeons. Pretty rude that his staff wouldn't return your call, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe your request just slipped through the cracks.

So.....are you up for a drive to the Phoenix area? I have met Dr. Chow personally and have the utmost respect for him. He has helped a number of BoneSmarties. He will be very honest in what he tells you, but I cannot imagine he will blow you off like these other doctors have.

Dr. Jimmy Chow
Chow Surgical, LLC
3700 N 24th Street
Suite 160
Phoenix, AZ 85016
480-490-6561
 
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