THR Hip dislocated almost right after surgery

[hollyjones]

I am writing and I joined out of worry, looking for information I found this excellent forum. Thank you. I just need to engage with people who know the situation and may have good advice. I had no idea this would be so bad.

My husband had a hip replacement op yesterday. He texted me to bring some things and when I got to the hospital, I was told he was in xray. Then after a long wait, the full story, that he had been screaming so loud in pain, shouting. They found he had dislocated his hip. This happened when he asked for a bottle to pee in. They rushed him to xray. This showed the hip had come out of the socket.

The surgeon was doing his rounds, and he decided to operate again After 4 hours and finally he came out of surgery and I was able to see him. He had feared and dreaded this op. He is 52 years old and a very strong well built ex-athlete and very energetic person.

The anaesthetists said to him that his muscles may be had pulled the hip out of the socket because they are strong? Could this be?

I have called this morning and they say he said he is very weak. I am so worried. Reading this forum even when it goes 'well' it seems very, very hard. The nurse said dislocation is likely again as it happened once. They are getting him up this morning to sit in the chair. So worried. We had the comfort that this was the most frequent operation in the NHS. The surgeon had good reviews, reading here I now know there are so many things that could go wrong. We had no idea.

 

[Mojo333]

Welcome to the forum albeit I hate that the circumstances are what led you here.
Oh my stars...that is awful for your poor husband.
Did the surgeon say whether he had to make anything of adjustments or did he just put back in place?

 

[Jaycey]

@hollyjones Welcome to BoneSmart! So sorry your husband is having a rough start to this recovery. Dislocation does happen but it is pretty rare. Mojo's question is a good one. Did they change anything when they went back in?

Since hubby has basically had 2 surgeries in one day he is bound to be a bit weak and tired. This will ease - just give it time.

Meanwhile I'll leave our reading list here for you. Please share this with hubby. Lots of tried and tested tips for recovery.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Closure​

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Layla]

Welcome to BoneSmart. Thanks for joining us.
What a story! My heart goes out to your husband, and you also as his loving caregiver.

The anaesthetists said to him that his muscles may be had pulled the hip out of the socket because they are strong? could this be? I

Let's ask the forum nurse @Josephine with 50+ yrs experience in Orthopedics if she's ever heard of this happening.

We request that you please leave an exact surgery date below and which hip was replaced. The info will be applied as your husband's signature. It's helpful for those dropping by to be able to glance at a surgery date before commenting.

Please stop back often with any questions and we'll do our best to advise, support and encourage as you walk alongside your husband on his healing journey.
A great evening to both of you!
@hollyjones

 

[HipsterKat]

Yikes! So sorry your husband’s first day went that way!!

There was someone else on the forum recently who had a dislocation while lying in bed... can’t remember who it was but will try to find it.

 

[Eman85]

Sorry to hear this. It's one of the fears of having this done. There have been others that have dislocated soon after surgery. Some have needed a revision to correct it. I'm sure you're a little busy now but if you search the forum you'll find the dislocation posts.
I really have to be amazed at a health care professional that said because his muscles were strong it caused dislocation.

 

[Josephine]

The anaesthetists said to him that his muscles may be had pulled the hip out of the socket because they are strong? Could this be?

Quite the opposite. After such a surgery, the muscles are actually weak and if he was moving in a disadvantageous manner, that could allow the hip to dislocate.

I have called this morning and they say he said he is very weak.

It's quite probable that if he had two major anaesthetic/surgeries within a day or two, that would make him very drowsy and weak but only for a time.

We had the comfort that this was the most frequent operation in the NHS.

Well that is true and the number of dislocations is also very, very low.

 

[hollyjones]

Thank you Josephine, Layla, Jacey.. I have been so worried; This evening, when I went I followed him as he was coming back from the toilet walking very very slowly, step by step, with a walking frame. I noticed both his legs were swollen/puffy. Is that normal? I asked one of the junior surgeons and he said everyone's legs are swollen after this op- but why BOTH legs swollen.
RE the second op...My husband said they did not cut open again,( so not two operation cuts/sites) but manipulated the hip back in place, checking with Xrays- does that make sense? He says the hip is not having any massive pains now nore pains in back. Though he has had some pain meds of course. He said he had never felt pain like he felt yesterday when it dislocated. He had really low blood pressure and he has a slight temperature 37.8. He has those pumping things on his legs to massage the lower part. Thanks again

 

[Eman85]

I'd say they put him to sleep because the pain from dislocation and then putting it back is said to be incredibly bad. Those that have dislocated have said it's all you can do to breathe the pain is so bad.

 

[Jaycey]

I noticed both his legs were swollen/puffy. Is that normal?

Totally normal. If he can elevate his legs slightly it might help. This will ease with time.

 

[hollyjones]

I'd say they put him to sleep because the pain from dislocation and then putting it back is said to be incredibly bad. Those that have dislocated have said it's all you can do to breathe the pain is so bad.

Yes he did say that too, Eman 85, . He is a bit weak today with a bit of a temperature. He has texted me, he is sitting a bit uncomfortably, in a chair and they said to try to sit for an hour. Had really low BP in the night. His body is in shock I think, understandably. I am thinking, to bring a bed downstairs at home for him, as our stairs are really steep. Get my son to help me!

 

[hollyjones]

I really appreciate you talking with me folks. Thankyou!

 

[Jaycey]

I am thinking, to bring a bed downstairs at home for him, as our stairs are really steep.

He won't be discharged until he can manage the stairs (up and down) on his own. Be sure he tells PT that he has stairs. They will work with him.

He is a bit weak today with a bit of a temperature.

All the trauma to his body - a low grade temperature is pretty common.

 

[hollyjones]

Just been told my husband can come home tomorrow.....

 

[Mojo333]

He is likely to be able to get much more comfortable there.
I am sorry this has been so traumatic for him...and you.
Hopefully now, the healing can truly begin.
Healing vibes coming that way...

 

[hollyjones]

He is likely to be able to get much more comfortable there.
I am sorry this has been so traumatic for him...and you.
Hopefully now, the healing can truly begin.
Healing vibes coming that way...

Thank you Mojo333. Healing vibes gladly accepted

 

[hollyjones]

Just listening to my husband. We are home now. He is not happy about the fact that when he had the 'first' hip replacement on Monday 1st July 2019, he was brought back to the ward and hip dislocated after a couple of hours. He had asked for a bottle and was trying to pass urine. Our puzzle is, the second time, after he had the hip put back in ( under general anaesthetic: second operation) when he came back to the ward, they had placed protective wedges around his legs to keep them straight and so they would not move. We are pondering if it is usual practice to have the wedge framework? And if so why didn't he have that on the first occasion? When they decided to tell me the story of what had happened- -it was a long story about what my husband had done to cause this dislocation. But, why did he not have those wedges put in place to stop that happening? is the latter normal practice? One would think so.

 

[Jaycey]

@hollyjones No it's not normal to have the wedge framework post THR. Some hospitals make patients have a cushion between their legs just post op. But obviously your husband's OS wanted to be cautious based on earlier events.

it was a long story about what my husband had done to cause this dislocation

What did they say about this dislocation? Not sure the blame lies on your husband.

 

[hollyjones]

I was kept waiting a long time, with people not meeting my eyes. I thought I was going to see my happy relieved husband having just received a text from him saying he had eaten a meal, sounding cheery. But I waited. Eventually, after I asked what was going on- after about 30 minutes, a nurse came and took me to a room and explained that my husband had twisted while having a pee, and crossed his legs. My husband says this happened because of convulsing in pain. He also says there was pain in his back and (operated on) hip and radiating to leg after first op. Whereas after the hip had been put back in there was not this pain. He is quite angry today: he feels they risked his life by the first op not working, is how he sees it; and they had to give him a second general anaesthetic- this on top of a meal 2 hours before; which is very risky, considering he was not to eat from 12 hours before on the first occasion.

 

[CafeFan18]

What a nightmare. I have no idea if this is the case with all surgeries, but my surgeon happened to tell me that he takes an Xray immediately after transferring the patient from the operating table to the gurney to make sure there is no dislocation caused by moving the patient. Also he tests the hip before closing to see to what angle he has to hold it before it starts to dislocate. He notes this in his surgical notes. That is, he tests how stable the hip is before closing. So I guess what I'm wondering is if the surgeon has more of an idea of why the dislocation. That is, shouldn't the surgeon have a bit more information for you as to the stability of the hip?