Torn Gluteus Medius After Surgery?

[YoungAndHip]

Hi,

I've already posted a little bit about the ongoing problems I've been having with my hip replacement. In a nutshell, I'm over 4 months post surgery and still can't use my hip flexors or abductors. My neurologist ordered an MRI and it turned out that I have a "full-thickness tear of the anterior half of the insertion of the gluteus medius tendon with mild fatty infiltration at the origin of the gluteus minimus muscle." Translation: the reason 4 months of physio hasn't helped me abduct is because the muscle's partially torn off.

The problem is, however, that I received this knowledge from my family doctor, who doesn't know about possible treatments. My surgeon has had the MRI for 3 weeks and won't return any of my phone calls, despite his secretary saying that he'll "call me soon." I've done research online and I couldn't find anything about fixing a torn gluteus medius, only that it can require surgery but often cannot be repaired.

Has anyone had this problem? Can it be corrected surgically? Can it only be corrected if it's caught in a certain window of time?

Has anyone had experience with this?

Thanks!

 

[Texas]

Hi no I haven't but i tell you what i would make an appt o go straight up there and have them work you in that wrong ...........Good luck to you i would be cordial but firm........he needs to tell you what to do next cant stay in pain forever thats terrible.............good luck to you i hope you let us know what happens........)

 

[Jamie]

My goodness....how frustrating that you can't get the surgeon's attention!!! Jo will have to tell you her medical opinion, as this is something way beyond my experience.

But....can you make an appointment with your surgeon? If so, I would do that rather than wait for a call. If that's not possible, can you go somewhere else? I'm sorry that I'm not that familiar with how the Canadian medical system works to know if you can get second opinions from a different doctor.

Please let us know how this works out. I care about you and will keep you in my prayers for a quick resolution.

 

[JudyS]

I don't know how your medical system works either. I have a good relationship with my spine surgeon and had been really upset with his staff. last monday I just showed up and said either you let me see him or call the looney bus to take me to a psychiatric hospital. They worked me in. I also could not get a return call.

Good luck with getting to see him which would be the best for you.
judy

 

[YoungAndHip]

Thanks for your responses. I've tried to make an appointment several times, but the receptionist always tells me to wait for the doctor to call me and won't book the appointment. I am getting a second opinion on Nov 4th (since it's been so difficult to get in contact with my surgeon), but I don't know what else to do besides just showing up and refusing to leave. It's getting more than a little frustrating to be constantly calling my surgeon trying to book an appointment and constantly having to deal with an annoyed secretary.

- Arley

 

[Jamie]

I agree. I think you were smart to go to a different doctor. Good for you!!!

 

[TurboHip]

I can certainly feel for you having problems with a first surgeon. That's who put in the position of needing a hip replacement. Please hang in there and I hope there's a solution for you!

 

[Josephine]

Mostly such tears heal on their own. I've never heard of one needing surgical repair. Unlike things like the Achilles tendon or patellar tendon, they are just one of a whole group of muscles that perform the same, or pretty much the same, function. iow, not crucial to leg function. It will take time but it should heal on it's own.

 

[YoungAndHip]

Well, I hope you're right and it does heal on its own! I guess that's the problem with researching online when you're not a doctor: nearly every website I visited said that the torn gluteus medius tendon won't heal on its own and requires surgery, but then some said surgery can't be performed in certain cases, and some said that the results were inconclusive about whether surgery works. Confusing!

Anyhow, I'm still trying to get in touch with my surgeon for an appointment/phone call/anything. I've been calling off and on since last week, but no one has called me back. I guess that's the problem with finding stuff out from your family doctor. Now that I know, I just want to hear from a specialist what course of action is required.

But, yeah, here's hoping it will heal on its own.

- Arley