THR Valentine’s Day LHR Anterior
- Thread starter Valentine
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Eman85
big-cheese
My OS just rolls his eyes and asks me if I'm racing this year. He knew what he was getting into when he took me as a patient. I can say he did a great job with some HD hardware as it stands up. I strained my left pretty badly lifting and carrying something I shouldn't have even lifted.
Update on my 4/1 anterior dislocation (was about 6 weeks post op). I had a full femur ct scan last Monday and saw my surgeon on Friday. Everything looks good. The implant is positioned well and right where it should be. The new fracture is already showing signs of healing, which is early and great. He is still having me take it easy and said to return to pt with no weights or resistance for a month.
His question for me was- do I want him to take me to the OR, put me under and under fluoro manipulate my leg in all directions to see if it will dislocate. This is something he has done for two other patients who had dislocated. Neither one dislocated in this procedure nor later. He said both requested it because they were too afraid to move forward.
I think (not certain) that as my recovery progresses, I would trust my new hip and put it behind me. I trust my surgeon and the imaging looks like everything is where it should be. I think it likely dislocated because: I am very flexible, I was not (and am not) healed yet, I had used a heating pad and was super relaxed and put my leg in an unfortunate position. These factors PLUS I had a small split at the time of surgery that was repaired (and is healed) with a cerclage, which disrupted some muscles AND my greater trochanter fractured when I dislocated. I suspect maybe it was already compromised from surgery and didn’t show on xray at the time then split off (and caused the dislocation, or broke more distinctly at the time if dislocation). All that to say- an unfortunate set of circumstances/a fluke. That is my thinking, but no way to know for sure.
I am not super keen to do it because of those reasons. I am not afraid to do it, as it will be done in a controlled environment so it wouldn’t strain my muscles like the real dislocation did.
My husband and a few of our orthopedic friends lean more toward me doing it (maybe after another month of healing) for peace of mind and at the least to be aware of what positions to avoid going forward.
No one is pressuring me any direction and it’s up to me so I am just trying to think it through. I would welcome thoughts and opinions to kick around as well as hearing of anyone’s experience who has gone through it.
Thanks!
His question for me was- do I want him to take me to the OR, put me under and under fluoro manipulate my leg in all directions to see if it will dislocate. This is something he has done for two other patients who had dislocated. Neither one dislocated in this procedure nor later. He said both requested it because they were too afraid to move forward.
I think (not certain) that as my recovery progresses, I would trust my new hip and put it behind me. I trust my surgeon and the imaging looks like everything is where it should be. I think it likely dislocated because: I am very flexible, I was not (and am not) healed yet, I had used a heating pad and was super relaxed and put my leg in an unfortunate position. These factors PLUS I had a small split at the time of surgery that was repaired (and is healed) with a cerclage, which disrupted some muscles AND my greater trochanter fractured when I dislocated. I suspect maybe it was already compromised from surgery and didn’t show on xray at the time then split off (and caused the dislocation, or broke more distinctly at the time if dislocation). All that to say- an unfortunate set of circumstances/a fluke. That is my thinking, but no way to know for sure.
I am not super keen to do it because of those reasons. I am not afraid to do it, as it will be done in a controlled environment so it wouldn’t strain my muscles like the real dislocation did.
My husband and a few of our orthopedic friends lean more toward me doing it (maybe after another month of healing) for peace of mind and at the least to be aware of what positions to avoid going forward.
No one is pressuring me any direction and it’s up to me so I am just trying to think it through. I would welcome thoughts and opinions to kick around as well as hearing of anyone’s experience who has gone through it.
Thanks!
myglasshalffull
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Of course the decision is totally up to you but why not give it some more time & see how you are feeling.
For me less manipulation of an area that is trying to heal the better.
For me less manipulation of an area that is trying to heal the better.
Nini
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@Valentine gosh I’m not sure I have advise for you. I do know I’m not a fan of being put out. You sound like you are coming to grips with it and are ready to live your life. I do have a question. You said one of the factors for the dislocation was because you weren’t healed yet. How does healing help it stay where it belongs? Are you referring to the muscles or the bone? Thank you. I’m glad you are on the other side of this!
Hi @Nini By healing, I think I mean all of those things. Like- right now, my muscles and tendons are still a little sore from the dislocation. But the capsule itself (still trying to understand what the capsule is) is still healing. From what I understand, it needs to scar up and heal, then the muscles build around it and help to brace it in. I think this is why even though dislocation risk is low, it is higher for the first six-ish weeks after surgery then drops more as time goes by. So, I guess I meant the capsule primarily bundled with my muscles being compromised from cerclage, plus being out of shape, plus being very flexible plus the unfortunate movement I did.
Nini
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@Valentine thanks for your response. Just trying to understand all these things! I did look up cerclage and I have no idea what capsule is! After you had your dislocation did that put you back to week one? I’m very out of shape and I’m trying to be so careful. It’s taken me so long to heal as it is. Thank you again.
@Nini sure! We are all learning as we go! I feel like I have been super slow as well. The dr didn’t say it took me back to week 1, but I am treating it that way a bit. The first two weeks after dislocation, I had inflammation so definitely put me back a few weeks, but on a specific day after 2 weeks I felt it lift and I have made better progress since then. The dr said that is typical. I was just googling the capsule and it is lots of ligaments, blood vessels and muscles that intersect to protect the joint. I am still confused though… they remove our original hip but don’t cut muscles/tendons in anterior so I guess it forms an arc around it and must be slid aside or something to do the replacement. Blah. As my favorite comedian says- I didn’t go to dr school!
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Happy Three Month Anniversary, Valentine!
Have a great day and week. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
@Valentine
Have a great day and week. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
@Valentine
