Hip Infection* Westy's Hip Recovery Thread

I would request ahead of time that to meet with the OS, not just the PA, if that's not already been clarified / confirmed.

I'm sorry for your misfortune, truly. Try to hang in there until you have all the facts and don't let your mind go to the bad place, if you can help it. I realize, easier said than done, but stress never helps anything. You can get this right and move forward. Hold that thought...
Prayers for peace of mind, comfort and perfect healing. :prayer:
@Westy
 
I would request ahead of time that to meet with the OS, not just the PA, if that's not already been clarified / confirmed.

I'm sorry for your misfortune, truly. Try to hang in there until you have all the facts and don't let your mind go to the bad place, if you can help it. I realize, easier said than done, but stress never helps anything. You can get this right and move forward. Hold that thought...
Prayers for peace of mind, comfort and perfect healing. :prayer:
@Westy


@Layla , thank you so much for the kind words, prayers and good thoughts. I have an amazing ability not to get stressed out about stuff i can't control. My background as a floor trader in Chicago taught me that back when I was a young man. I do get frustrated, but it's very rare for me to feel stress. The P.A. told me at the last visit that Doc would be in on my next appointment to offer his diagnosis. BTW, it was this P.A. that closed up my incision after the 12/19 procedure. He's a good guy and I have to say, he seems very well trained and is certainly a smart guy. I still have confidence in the OS and PA, but I am frustrated. :) Thanks again for the encouraging words, I really do appreciate them.
 
@Westy I'd be frustrated as well and not sure I would have gone this long without seeing the surgeon. The PA may be a good guy and well trained but he's not the surgeon.

I'm so sorry you're going through this and still not pain free. Wishing you the best from your appointment next week. Please keep us posted if you don't mind.
 
Oh my stars @Westy
I'm just catching up and hate that after the repair, you are dealing with this concern.

Sending good mojo your way and hope that the washout is not needed.

That being said, we do what we must.
I agree that even with the trust we put in our OS, if you feel a 2nd opinion is needed I hope you can get it with your insurance.:fingersx:
 
Hello @Westy You have been in my thoughts. Wondering if you have met with your OS yet. I sure hope the antibiotics have kicked out your infection by now and that you don’t have to have another procedure. The financial impact of surgeries gone wrong do factor in, but if I could go back in time to the emergency room, I would have talked to at least 3 OS and gone a different route. I can certainly relate to being on the bad end of the percentage of success luck. So, please get more opinions and travel if necessary to find someone who has experience with trauma and infections. Will keep you in my prayers.
 
Hi everyone, and as always, thank you so much for the good thoughts and well wished. I wanted to check in just to keep my misadventure :) up to date.

At the last visit with my OS and PA, we had an interesting conversation. Started with the PA and he had a student with him. He looked at the incision and said, yes, it's infected, but I think it's superficial. I think we'll keep you on the Bactrim for another week. Then he said, if it doesn't clear up, we'll probably need to go in again and clean it up. I said, not happening, let's see what Doc has to say.

PA leaves, Doc comes in. He says, I hear you you don't or won't go for surgery again, is that right? I answered his question with a question of my own. I said, Doc, truth time, have you ever had to perform surgery on the same patient on the same hip three times withing 6 1/2 months? He says, no, this would be a first, if we have to do that.

I already know in my heart, if I do need to be opened again, this guy is the last man on earth who will be performing that procedure. Meantime, he recommends that I go to the "Wound Care Clinic" at the hospital, because my incision is still leaking like a faucet, a month after surgery. He writes me a an Rx for 10 days of Bactrim with 1 refill and away I go.

I get an appointment at the wound clinic 5 days out from the visit with doc. Great team of nurses there do a bunch of cleaning and draining and then the Doc for the wound clinic comes in. She starts working the area around the incision and is making some very direct comments about how this incision should have never gotten this bad without being cultured and having a contrast CT scan of the general left hip region to see whats cooking in the region.

She described the area from which the drainage was coming as a "tunnel." She worked on that for a good 30 minutes getting a whole bunch of fluid out of it. She also stated that she was very surprised to see that the OS used the same incision for the second surgery. Can anyone shed any light on this, is that unusual? She took sample of tissue and the fluid for culturing and ordered up a CT scan with contrast.

She suspects there may be hardened puss (I know, gross) in there, but can't say without the imaging. She took a bunch of blood sample and while my SED rate has come back down to within the normal range, my C-Reactive Protein is still high, where it was last time. She packed the incision with silver coated string and gauze, and covered it with a 4x4 bandage. We've been (my wife) repacking it once or twice a day as needed, since then.

I get my scan this weekend and see the Wound Care Doc again on Monday. At that point she'll have a clearer picture and will be able to tell me if I need a "cleanup" surgery. Unfortunately, since an Ortho did the original surgery, it will have to be an Ortho who does the cleanup surgery. I promise you all this much, unless it comes down to emergency surgery, my original OS will never get near my hip again in an operating room. I've heard from 2 people that have had terrible experiences with this guy. Sadly, I didn't hear this until long after my initial surgery. He has a good reputation, but I'm questioning that about now.

That brings me up to date on my tale of woe. I will follow up once I have answers next week. I have a surgeon in mind who was recommended by another surgeon who I grew up with. I'm so sick of being sick, it's just frustrating. Sorry for the 10 million word post, but I wanted to keep my thread up to date.
Once again, thanks to everyone for the good thoughts, much appreciated.

Westy
 
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Wow is all I can say! I'm happy the doctor at the Wound Care Clinic seems to be on the ball. I think I'd definitely be getting a second opinion, minimum. Wishing you the best, please definitely keep us posted.
 
Wow, just wow. :thud: I am so sorry.

It sounds like going to the wound clinic was a smart idea.

I get my scan this weekend and see the Wound Care Doc again on Monday. At that point she'll have a clearer picture and will be able to tell me if I need a "cleanup" surgery.

I am glad you will have some answers next week.
 
Hang in there @Westy sounds like you have a good doc working on the infection now and a solid plan if you need it cleaned out. And don't worry about the long post, the whole reason we are all here is to support each other and it's amazing how much it can help to share our problems with others that have taken the journey of THR.
 
Gosh, I am so sorry @Westy. I am so pleased to read on your update that you intend to see another surgeon. What an experience for you!
I am sending a heap of healing vibes in your direction.. I hope you are keeping your strength up with some healthy foods?
Please take care and hope to hear more from you soon, hopefully something heading in a positive direction.
 
@Westy sorry to hear of your situation but good that you finally found a health care professional that is on the ball. I hope you don't require another surgery and can move on with your recovery.
No problem with the long post, plenty of info to convey to give the full picture of what's going on.
 
@Westy ... thanks so much for the detailed update. It wasn't overly long at all. This kind of detail is much needed by other BoneSmarties who might be in the beginning stages of a problem like yours. The hope would be they could read all that you're going through and see action that needs to take place quickly. Infection is nothing to mess around with, as you now know. At the first sign of the possibility of an infection, at a minimum some culturing needs to be done.

Let me reassure you that we have had a number of BoneSmarties with serious infections and tunneling that have been able to completely recover and do just fine. But....a person needs to be under the care of a good wound care doctor AND a good surgeon to get to the end of this journey. It sounds like you have half the equation now and we just need to get you to the other half. Why not ask your wound care doctor for a recommendation for a revision surgeon? She's likely worked with some of the surgeons in your area on cases like yours and I would think she'd be in a good position to recommend a couple of doctors you could meet with. You are 100% correct that your previous surgeon needs to be removed from the case.

Let us know how things progress. You have our complete support as you go through this challenge. But you will get through it!
 
I'm sorry you're experiencing this, Westy.
Thankfully the wound care doctor seems to be on top of it all. I like, Jamie's, suggestion of asking the wound care professional to recommend an OS you can work with. I wish you the best in your search along with comfort and quick resolution. Please stay in touch, we're here for you.
@Westy
 
Good evening all,

I got a second opinion from a great doc and he concurs with exactly what my OS has planned. Lucky me, I am going in for surgery #3 on this darn left hip, tomorrow, Thursday. They will open me up again, dislocate the hip, remove the ball and poly recepticle and replace them with new ones. Secondly, they will remove all infected tissue and irrigate th heck out of the area with 3 bags of strong antibiotic solution. Additionally, that pesky lump way up at the top of the thigh has been identified as the possible culprit for my troubles. Needless to say, FINALLY that's coming out too.

The procedure is 2 to 3 hours in duration and when closing me up, they will install at least one, but possibly 2 drains. I will be closed up with regular sutures versus staples, as I will be under the care of the infectious disease team for 3 to 4 days following the surgery. They will sample the tissue and drainage looking for any strain of bacteria that might still be in there. If there is a bacteria, they identify it, and test various antibiotics on it in the lab to see which is most effective in killing it off. That means I will have PIC(K) line for 6 weeks which will be a first for me. I'm feeling frustrated, but I know this has to happen right away. The pain and leakage from the 12/19 surgical incision is still plentiful. That's the latest update about 12 hour pre surgery. If you'd be so kind as to send me some well wishes and good thought, and of course prayers, if you pray, I will be very grateful. I'll come back with a post op report and recovery journey just as soon as I am able.

Thank you all for the kindness you've shown me and the wonderful and thoughtful suggestions you've offered. I sincerely have a ton of gratitude for the folks on this forum

Thanks for reading and wishing you all the best, Westy
 
Sounds like a good plan for healing is in place and about to begin. :yes!: So sorry you've had this hurdle to overcome, but there are so many bonesmarties who've gone through the infection ordeal and made a full recovery that must give you hope for a sunnier future. Sending healing vibes and prayers for a once and for all recovery. :angel::thumb:
 
:praying: Praying for you and your medical team and am sending healing vibes in advance, @Westy

Will be looking for your update when you are up to posting.
 

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