THR Heterotopic Ossification after Total Hip Replacement

Thanks Jamie, Dr. DeCook was the doctor who did my wife's left knee replacement last August and he was the second doctor I took my wife to last week for a 2nd option. He took X-rays and advises that we will have to wait a year for the hip to fully recovery and then she may need another surgery to remove the calcium buildup. However, he hasn't seen that many clients with this problem and really doubts that the body with absorb as much calcium that my wife has. He said to go in now would only create more calcium buildup. I got copies of his X-rays and it really shows the calcium has built up on the top of the femur bone and is almost hitting the pelvis bone. That is why she is limited in movement in her right hip, can not cross her right leg and she is having a lot more pain. It's not around the ball in the hip as I first thought.

From what I have been able to read and the advise of two doctors I believe right now we will have to continue range of motion and muscle building exercises (which she does for an hour every day) and wait until the hip fully recovers from the total hip replacement.

I will continue to search for other medical centers that might know more. He have Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and I have already thought of the Mayo Clinic. Any other major medical centers you can think of would be great. Your prayer and thoughts are much needed. Thanks.
 
Well, if Brian recommended Dr. DeCook, at least you know that you saw a good one! I'm glad. I think if you decide to get more opinions, your choices of Emory University, Mayo or the Hospital for Special Surgery (HHS) in New York are about as good as it would get. So sorry this is happening to you both, but hang in there. Don't give up!
 
I called Emory Orthopedics in Atlanta today and got a name of a doctor who might know something about this condition. Just faxed him a letter and hope to hear back from him soon. My wife has so many questions about when will she get better that we just haven't got answers for YET.
 
I am hoping this doctor is able to help you and answer your questions. Ask lots of questions, medications, surgery, time frame etc. You will also want to know how many cases he sees with HO in a year.
 
Thanks for your link to this lady. How could I contact her now to see what happened to her? I think I have found a doctor at Emory in Atlanta who can help my wife. I will check to see if he is a
"orthopedic oncologist".

Anyone else who has had experience with this condition please advise and thank you so much for your help. My wife is almost six months after her left knee replacement followed by a fall and a broken right hip which required a total hip replacement. She is doing great with the left leg (knee) but the right hip is a problem and that's where the calcium buildup is.
 
I just closed this web-site and went to check on the doctor I am trying to get my wife an appointment with ASAP.
He is a Orthopedic Oncologist so it looks like I'm on the right track. He is one of only two in the State of Georgia (I understand that both are at this same clinic).

David K Monson, MD, Orthopaedic Oncology, Emory Clinic, Atlanta, GA
 
I have another thread about my wife's problems with calcium buildup after her THP on 9/4/2016. She fell after a knee replacement on her left knee on 8/25/2016. New left knee and new hip within a week. It's been almost six months and she is still having trouble with her hip. I believe it's worst because of the calcium buildup. I'm trying to get her in to see a specialist so we will know more soon I hope. However, She keeps asking how long it's going to take for her to be able to walk without her walker and drive her car again. She hasn't driven since mid August 2016.

I know everyone is different, age, overall condition, etc. But what is your experience with recovery time?
 
I am unable to answer that question, CalciumHip, especially because it depends how the HO will react after the surgery. Only a few will have an exacerbation of the HO and even then it depends on how aggressive that reaction is. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

And I quite forgot to mention that HO is generally categorized along with malignant conditions. Not that it is malignant, but the treatment is often very similar and requires similar expertise from the surgeon.

How could I contact her now to see what happened to her?
She hasn't been to the forum since September 2012 so I doubt she will be back.

Oh yes, and I merged your two threads to keep the information sequential.
 
Josephine, Thanks for your reply. I will keep you posted when we get an appointment to see this doctor. I always loved the UK. I used to work for Pan Am back in the 1970s and got to London several times and once to York. Glad to see you are still working at 75. I retired at 68 and I turn 72 this week. I'm going to do everything I can to help my wife of 48 years overcome this condition. I hate to see her in so much pain but we are doing her exercises about every day. I hope this specialist can do surgery to remove the HO and maybe she can take medication to get the calcium from coming back? Thanks again. Jerry & Anna
 
Jerry, thank you for posting the surgeon's name. I've added it to my file and hopefully he will be a good resource for you and others who might need help with this problem.
 
Jamie, I still haven't gotten an appointment yet with him. Just wanting for the doctor's office that did my wife's hip to fax him her medical records for his review. I'm sure that he is a busy doctor so it may take a while to get in to see him. But we will. I really don't know what he will do but at least I feel he knows how to treat HO and has seen more that a couple of people with this condition. Thanks, Jerry.
 
Jolly good! And yes, do please keep up posted.
 
I finally got my wife an appointment with Emory Orthopedics at their location in Tucker, GA (just east of Atlanta). We go to see Dr. Shervin V. Oskouei, Orthopaedic Oncology tomorrow (March 1). I will update after we meet with him. Dr. Oskouei is French and has about 15 years experience. I pray we get some good news tomorrow and that maybe this calcium buildup in my wife's right hip will be reabsorbed by her body or with not be a big problem for her and that she will not have to have another surgery.
 
Good luck at your appointment. Please keep us updated!
 
Thanks for the update and I'm glad to know you finally have an appointment with someone familiar with this problem. I'll pray for the best for you!
 
We had a very encouraging appointment with Dr. Shervin Oskouei, Musculoskeletal Oncology at Emory Orthopaedics Center in Tucker, GA (east of Atlanta) yesterday. He took his own X-rays and reconfirmed that my wife Anna has HO in her right leg/hip where she had a THP back on 9/4/16. He also reconfirmed what the other two Orthopaedics doctors had told us about having to wait a year from the date of surgery before any other surgery could be done. Actually even then he would have to do a bone scan (I believe that is what he called it) to make sure the calcium is not still active in this area. Going in and doing surgery before a year would only cause more problems and even more calcium buildup (HO). He has seen many cases of HO and has done many operations to remove the HO so he knows about this condition.

The doctor who did my wife's hip told me that he has never done this operation. The good news is that after seeing how much passive range of monition my wife has in the hip with the HO he said he doubts that he will have to do surgery at the end of the year. He feels she will be able to live with the HO and that some of it may be reabsorbed into her blood. She may have to live with some problems in motion but I don't think they will be great. The surgery to remove the HO is not easy and comes with many other problems. Mainly what would have to be done to try to keep the HO from just coming back. Therapy/exercise is going to continue to be very important to keep the HO under control.

I am going to make a donation to your web-site as I have really appreciated the help and information I have gotten from you guys. I know that HO is not that common. However it does happen especially with a traumatic event like falling and breaking a bone (like my wife's hip). It's worst in a knee than in a hip.

The question I still don't have an answer to is that there are drugs that can be given just after a THP that may have prevented the HO. You would think that with a fall the doctors would just go ahead and give these drugs just to make sure this condition doesn't develop. However, I'm not a doctor and I don't know if there are side effects to these drugs and maybe the HO would have developed anyways.

Again, getting a hopeful opinion from a Orthopedic Oncology doctor has made all the different in my wife's and my attitude and hope for the future. There are not that many in Georgia (only three that I could find and they are all with Emory). Good luck to everyone with your surgeries and recoveries. It's almost never easy but we will all get through this time. GOD bless. Jerry Carter
 
Thanks for the update Jerry @CalciumHip ! Sounds like you are finally headed in the right direction. As the surgeon about drugs to prevent this. I am sure he would discuss this with you.

Please do keep us updated! So glad we could help in some small way.
 
I remember reading an article a while back about the use of single-dose radiation therapy as a prophylactic for heterotopic ossification for individuals deemed 'high risk' of developing HO. I don't think that it's a widely used practice however, as I've only seen a few articles on it. I think it's one of those rare incident issues that doesn't get a lot of press...
 

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