THR Possible revision surgery after 3 years

[HipButSquare]

Thanks for the responses.

My surgeons had assistance from a robot in setting leg length, and resurfacing the cup, I believe. I don’t know the make.

My stem is not cemented. After decades, the jury is still out on cemented vs uncemented.

The Relative Merits of Cemented and Uncemented Prostheses in Total Hip Arthroplasty - PMC

The results of modern cemented and uncemented total hip arthroplasties are outstanding and both systems have their advantages and disadvantages. This paper aims to examine the designs of different types of prostheses, some history behind their ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

For about a month, I was feeling optimistic after finding an exercise machine that would raise my heart rate. I thought the slight squat in the hips would not cause issue but maybe it did.

Now, I’ve switched to only doing that while seated in a chair. I’m on my way to becoming a wheelchair athlete.

I read that some people run on their hip replacement, figuring that they’d rather replace a hip later in life than die of cardiac issues but that is out of the question for me, and I was once a runner.

I also rowed for a while and that is also out.

Suffering through over two years of pain is rather demoralizing but at least I can sleep better than I could before the replacement, when bone on bone pain kept me up all night.

I will wait to see what the surgeon says.

 

[Kritterkiddo]

I am sorry to hear you have pain. It sounds more complicated than I could help with but just thought I would suggest what my team told me:
Instead of icing, try warmth on the opposite side of yr incision. Like my scar is anterior, so I put the heat pack on the back of my leg.
Wish you the best

 

[HipButSquare]

I met with my surgeon again and had another X-ray.

The goods news is that the implant is fine.
My problem is bursitis.

I have been told to do stretching and use Voltaren.

Whew. Maybe I can get past this pain.

 

[benne68]

So glad to read that the implant is fine. You are not alone suffering from bursitis. If you do a quick search using the Search button at the right end of the blue tool bar, you will find other threads discussing this condition post-THR.

Also, you might find this article helpful: Trochanteric bursitis with THR

 

[HipButSquare]

Thanks! Great resource.

It’s surprising how painful and debilitating bursitis can be.

We’re going to try to avoid injecting it with cortisone right away. I guess they fear creating an infection.

The doctors were impressed with my little Oura ring that takes periodic readings of my skin temperature.

When I got the latest COVID and flu shot, my temperature spiked +3.8F.

 

[HipButSquare]

Well, I’m back with more hip pain.

This time it is at the front of my thigh, part way down my leg. I assume this is where the stem fits into the femur.

In May, I had a prostatectomy but I recovered fine and was walking shortly after surgery.

I got back to walking up to two miles when about a month again, I started feeling pain right after I started walking. Now, I can’t walk more than a few minutes without feeling pain.

I am afraid something is wrong with the appliance and that I will need revision surgery. I am seeing my surgeon the first week of August.

Has anyone else had this kind of pain and gone through revision surgery? This feels different than my bursitis pain, which I worked through.

Thanks!

 

[benne68]

Welcome back, @HipButSquare. Sorry to read that you are experiencing new pain three years after your THR. That's definitely something to see your surgeon about.

You might want to search through the following threads for information from others who have needed revisions:

Search results for query: revision

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[HipButSquare]

Thanks for taking the time to post.

I’ll look at the revision threads and the subscription options.

As you might imagination, this is a disappointing development if it turns out that I need revision surgery.

I did go with the posterior approach which gives me a longer incision for revision.

Still, this will be a big setback for me, especially considering what else I have gone through this year.

 

[benne68]

I hope you get answers at your upcoming appointment, @HipButSquare.

Either way, you should consider a second opinion from someone who is not affiliated with your original surgeon's practice -- ideally a revision specialist. If you decide to join Insiders, we can help you with referrals to specialists in your area.

 

[HipButSquare]

Hello,

I paid for a year’s subscription.

Should I continue this thread or start a new thread about pain and the possibility of revision surgery?

Thanks.

 

[Hip4life]

@HipButSquare Welcome to the Insiders Club. Thank you for your support and allowing us to help support you in any way we can. You can continue to post here in your thread. If you would like to change the title of your thread to reflect your current issues, please let us know and we can do that for you.

I am sorry you are now facing possible additional issues as well as pain. It is disappointing and daunting. The first step is to consult with your surgeon to find out what might be going on and you have taken that step. If a revision is indeed needed, the next important step is to find a specialist in revisions. Like @benne68 mentioned, we would be happy to help you with that search if you need that. We will be anxiously awaiting your update from your appointment in August. Hang in there.

 

[HipButSquare]

Thanks!

Could you change the title to say,

“Possible revision surgery after 3 years”

?

Yes, I will update this thread after I speak to my surgeon. I’m sure they’ll take an X-ray.

I know my surgeon will do revisions on his own patients. He has done knee and hip replacements for decades. He has a lot of experience and is the head of the department.

I don’t know what I will do if I’m told the appliance is fine. The pain is undeniable.

If I put a lot of pressure on that leg, I feel a lot of pain when I take weight off of the leg.

I can’t walk more than a few minutes without feeling pain.

I’ve stopped going for walks. I try to keep weight off of the leg as much as possible. It’s hard for me to get any kind of exercise if I can’t walk.

Even using the SkiErg from a seated position causes pain, so, I’ve stopped that too. I had barely gotten started with it after the prostatectomy.

 

[benne68]

Thanks for joining Insiders, @HipButSquare. I've updated your thread title as requested.

I hope the X-ray will show something definitive and that you will have a clear course of action. Again, it's always a good idea to get a second opinion from someone who has no affiliation with your original surgeon in cases like these. That's not to question your OS's skill level; it's more about getting a completely fresh set of eyes on the situation. So please let us know if you'd like any suggestions.

 

[HipButSquare]

Sure, I’m always willing to take suggestions.

I’m in Pittsburgh.

 

[Layla]

Hi HipButSquare,
I am sorry you're having issues and hope you're able to find answers soon, leading to relief. We're here for you!
I'm tagging @Jamie to check her resources for your area.
Wishing you comfort.
@HipButSquare

 

[Jamie]

Hi, @HipButSquare …. Sorry to hear you may be facing a hip revision, and I hope you are able to get in to see your surgeon soon. Once you get that opinion, please post the results of your visit plus what was recommended and I’ll take a look to see if there are any surgeons on my list that would fit your needs. All you need to do is tag me here in your thread and we can talk about second opinion options once you find out what is going on.

 

[HipButSquare]

Thanks @Jamie

I have my appointment on August 7th so I’ll update after that.

I was up to walking two miles without pain but now I can’t walk to the end of the street without pain.

I can get around the house ok but there is still pain. Sigh.

Someone said I have to check if my hip has been recalled. How would I find that out?

I hope the surgeon finds something on the X-rays. They won’t do exploratory surgery.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Wishing you the best & I will look forward to your update after the doctor ‘s appointment.

 

[Jamie]

I sincerely doubt it is a problem with the implant itself. That’s very rare. Recalls of implants are rare as well. Usually when there is a recall, it has to do with the packaging or supporting tools that are used during surgery. But if you wanted to check on recalls, you would need to know what the brand name and model of your implant. Then you could Google recalls for that item. In the USA the government tracks recalls like this.

 

[HipButSquare]

@Jamie I agree that it is unlikely to be a problem with the implant itself.

I think it is more likely that something is wrong with how the implant has been installed.

My surgeon told me that someone jumped up and down and managed to mess up his implant. It was a mail man who was back to his regular route. This jumping required revision surgery to correct. Granted, this was soon after the hip replacement.

I avoid impact. I gave up running. I also gave up rowing and biking.

All I have left is walking and SkiERG which I had given up for months because of the incisions in my abdomen from the prostatectomy.

This pain feels different than bursitis pain.