Revision after 18 months

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rebeccaet

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Hey everyone! I saw my surgeon today and got the news that i would need a revision on my 18 month old replacement. I've had pain in my groin and popping. He believes it to be metal ions being released and will aspirate some fluid next week to test for that and infection. Also, when lying on my right side(non surgical) and i bring my left(operated) leg to my chest my hip pops severly. He did not like that and said it was not fitting in the cup very well. All that to say, he said he would replace the metal liner in the cup with a plastic and leave my ceramic ball in place. I had a cross-linked ceramic ball with a metal socket/liner. I went with this newer technology because it is thought to release less metal ions than the metal on metal. And being only 37, it could last a lot longer(perhaps lifetime)and withstand lots of pounding which i like to exercise. I didn't want ceramic on ceramic for fear of wear and squeaking. I'm also getting a second opinion which he was encouraging about and my husband and i will meet with him after the fluid is tested.

I trust him and he was great to be so honest. I'm not mad but then again that's just for today. I'm relieved to have an answer to my pain and a SOLUTION! I'm not crazy about going under again but i want my life back. Joe-I'd love your feedback. Thanks all for listening. It's nice to feel like someone really understands.

Rebecca
 
Rebecca, I am sorry you must have a revision but glad that you are on the road to getting the problem fixed. Did he take any xrays that you could post for Josephine to look at? She can tell a LOT about what's going on with a good xray. If you don't have them in hand but they were taken, you can usually call the office and they will either email the digital file to you or you can pick up a CD with the file on it.

My concern would be if the cup itself was not placed correctly in the first place. Then I would doubt that just replacing the liner would resolve the problem. You need to be sure that you know exactly what the problem is before you allow another surgery. This means the blood tests that your OS has ordered as well as xrays where he can pinpoint the problem.
 
<font color=”Red"><font size="2"> Rebecca

I’m sorry to hear about the revision, but at least you’re on your way to pain free life. It is always better to know what is the problem, so they can start fixing you.

I got ceramic on plastic - that is what they do to us young people (I’m about 50).

Keep your spirits up and soon this too is history.
 
Actually, as I understand it, there is now less instance of squeak and shatter in ceramic which is good. Technology really does move quickly on these things. To be perfectly honest, I would have thought, for someone like yourself, that ceramic on ceramic would have been ideal. But not to contradict myself, in the end please be advised by your surgeon! Choose the surgeon and let him choose the implant. That's what you pay him the big bucks for!
 
Hey Joe and everyone,
I finally remembered the word i was looking for when describing the popping. Subluxation. As i've had a few days to ponder all this i of course have questions-all of which i will be able to ask both surgeons but not till next week. Is the subluxation CAUSING the metal to be rubbed off? Will the subluxation be fixed? And I guess the other question that rolls in my mind every now and then is, Can this REALLY be happening? It seems so crazy to be going in again for another surgery. I feel like it's a bad dream or something. Do I have to get it fixed? Maybe I could learn to live with the pain. No No I can't. I'm glad to have some answers and HOPEFULLY and end to this journey but man is this all so sureal(sp?).
Am i in denial? Am i going to be okay? Sorry to sound like a baby, it's all hitting me today.
Words of comfort please!
 
Rebecca, it is serious that you might need additional surgery. This is the reason I suggested that you make sure you understand exactly WHAT is going on and WHY it happened. Since your surgeon left you with many unanswered questions at this point, that is why I suggested that you just might want a second opinion before undergoing this surgery.
 
Rebecca! So sorry you're going through this! Get some 8rays done and have a different OS evaluate them! No, you should NOT be living in pain like this so long AFTER your joint replacement surgery!!! (:)0)
 
Jamie,
Thanks for the advice. I do have a second OS lined up and another visit with my OS and my husband to discuss the findings of the hip aspiration next week. I'm confident in my surgeon and will most definitely ask him all the questions i am asking you all. I'm just passing the time until then. In the meantime I always like hearing from people who have actually had the same problem. X-rays are fine thus the reason for the aspiration of the hip to check for ions in the fluid. I'm more curious about other people's understanding of subluxation. So for those of you who actually have had experience with subluxation, I'd love to hear your story.
 
Subluxation is a consequence of poorly aligned implants - most often the cup being at a bad angle. It means the head has slipped out of the socket a bit and then slips back in like so (though it was very difficult to get the implants to stay put while I photographed them so this looks a bit extreme!)

[Bonesmart.org] Revision after 18 months


The metal ion release usually happens anyway so far as I know but whether it is worsened by the subluxing (i.e. extra movement) or not, I really couldn't say. There is evidence that popping and other abnormal movements are, as I said, due to a improperly aligned cup or stem or both so I would tend to think that just replacing the liner may not be the whole answer.

I think a second opinion is a good move and maybe even a third!
 
Hi there welcome im so srry that does stink but maybe this will be the one to fix it i wish you the best and hope you let us know how you are doing...........keep your chin up it gets better...........)
 
Best wishes on everything working out well.

Hopefully if all they need to do is change out the liner the surgery and recovery will be much easier than the initial surgery.
 
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