Revision THR hip replacement gone bad<

OS thought it was an suture abscess but after almost 2 hours it was clear it was not as the drainage went to the bone. The cup itself is soundly bone ingrowth but he changed out the additional parts and the ball and drained all the excess fluid up to the the outer layers of skin. That fluid had found a way out at the incision. Samples taken for the lab and we shall see about those. The OS is honest is saying he has no idea except that the healing did not occur from the inside out for some reason.
All of that, I'm afraid, makes no sense to me at all, from either perspective.
 
Happy Easter @zinnia I checked to see if zinnia will grow here. Looks like the answer is yes! I will try to find some and send photos. I will plant them in your honor. I forgot my password to look at my test results. (This is supposed to be the funny part coming up) My mother says that I lived in 28 different houses by the time I was 12. (That wasn't the funny part. It is still coming) I did not choose my security question so I could get my password. (It is coming, really) My security question was to name the street where I lived as a child. I tried. Really I did. I exceeded my allowed failures.
Calling for help is on my Monday AM to-do list.
 
My dad was in the Army. Except for 2-1/2 years in Germany and Ethiopia, we moved about once a year until he retired when I was in 8th grade. I had to fill out an application for a background check a few years ago and was glad I only had to list residences since 21 (still in 4th one).
 
LOL you probably wouldn't have chosen that question either! I still have a hard time remembering addresses from my recent past. I take photos of my suture almost every day. It helps me appreciate my healing.
 
Dear Jaycey, chalcedonian1 and Layla, the news remains good, no infection at all. The lab results from the surgery are culturing no infections but he likes 3 days of good results. They will culture for a week. He expects to send me home on antibiotic pills and home health care including PT for 4 weeks. I imagine the PT will be walking. I hope I get Andy back.

You are all correct in that I need to rest more and not worry about challenges. Moving upward at this point is to heal. Nothing heavy on the horizon so that is good. The beach in early May for our anniversary. I am walking well. PT here is amazed that I am doing so well. I don't think this is going to put me back in that part of my recovery.

I have not enough pain to get pills in the hospital. Has to be at least a 5!

Healing is my primary job now. He opened the entire incision to get in there and will watch for any irregularity at that site. No other way to tell. MRI wouldn't help because of the metal.

Happy Easter to everyone. So glad to hear that everyone is doing well.

I know how hard it is to accept that a revision is the way you have to go, chalcedonian, but even though I have this problem it doesn't have anything to do with the revision, my second recovery, except in my special case. Don't be afraid of it. It is no different than the primary surgery except it obviously requires you to be more kind to your body.

Even my sister in law said to me, let him do all the cooking and stuff around the house. You garden and paint and walk and rest. I like the idea. So my advice to you is just that; take the easy, restful road in your revision recovery and you will be fine.

I wonder if all the traveling I did in the early stages of recovery had anything to do with this. Under my special circumstances I think, YES! It was not wise and the proof is how tired I was upon returning. It took a week or more to regain my energy. It was not a wise move.

Now I want to walk and only walk and rest.

Good wishes to all for a lovely Spring, a Happy Easter and good hip sways all the way.
 
@zinnia I’ve followed your journey and admire your strength. I hope you can take advantage of your hospital stay to rest, rest, rest! It is a bit harder to rest more at home because we always see things we think need to be done right away. It is difficult to look the other way sometimes and convince ourselves that it truly can wait until we’ve recovered more. So rest!! Happy Easter.
 
Hi @zinnia
Thinking of you....wondering how the day is going and whether you've received final results on the cultures?
Hopefully you've been released from the hospital and are resting comfortably at home.
Let us know how you're doing when your feeling up to it.
Hugs to you!
 
:yahoo:Great for no infection!!!
So happy.
Onward and FORWARD.
:chuckmarch:
 
Out of the hospital this late am. Feeling exhausted but still not much pain. The incision is swollen and "tight", don't remember it ever feeling like that. The cultures have still shown no infection. One of 4 taken at surgery is showing a contaminant but is not showing infection. They almost kept me another day to see if it would turn into an infection. They will keep on culturing the samples for about a week and then pack that in. So, no infection! That's the good news. The failure to heal is more daunting as is starting almost back to the beginning to recover. This thing hasn't beaten me yet but if any other dramas arise, I don't know .

I don't rest in the hospital. I am always on pins and needles. Did get some sleep last night and today after getting home. Off to take my first shower since surgery. Not walking unassisted yet, but with the walker and a four footed cane it's a breeze. When I settle into the incision pain and get it handled I'll be back walking around the house. So tired. I'm off.

A pleasant week to all. Hope everyone is doing well. Don't have the energy to look up every one's posts. I'll back into it in a few days. Lordy, this sounds so dreary. Sorry about that.:bored:
 
Great news on no infection :yes!: I'll keep praying nothing materializes.
So very sorry for the set back and the need to start over once again. You may be right about
the early travel? I guess we can't push recovery. No matter how badly we want it, our bodies
will heal at their own rate. You still have the opportunity to get this right and I consider that a blessing!
Just soldier on, Zinnia. All you can do. We'll be walking right alongside you.
Love and hugs to you :loveshwr: :friends: Wishing you a great day!
 
the areas
All of that, I'm afraid, makes no sense to me at all, from either perspective.
@Josephine, Maybe I didn't explain what has happened correctly. My incision formed a "blister" and began to drain fluid from a small hole in the incision which had not been there until the blister formed. This area of the incision was also inflamed. The surgeon didn't like what he saw, even though the fluid was clear, no odor, no pus, no blood, but it was profuse and was still draining after 2 weeks.

The OS ordered blood samples immediately. 24 hours later I had orders for pre-op for a "superficial wash out". I was in the hospital within a day.

The surgery showed more than a suture abscess; there was more fluid than was expected so he debrided the extended areas that had also not healed completely. To make sure he didn't have to go back in if an infection was present he also washed around and replaced the femoral ball.

That's pretty much it. I hope I did a better job this time. If I've called you in unnecessarily, I apologize.
 
That made more sense! I think it was the frequent use of the word 'out' as in 'change out the femoral ball'.
My incision formed a "blister" and began to drain fluid from a small hole in the incision which had not been there until the blister formed.
I'd say that hole was most definitely there before the blister - it just hadn't broken out to the surface then. Only a scab kept it sealed.
 
Nancy, unless your doctor tells you that the traveling early on was problematic, don't even start to think that any of this is your fault! It doesn't sound like he said that and I'm assuming he didn't have any problems with the travel at the time. The issues with the travel were related to energy drain and maybe the fluor another bug. That doesn't sound like anything that could cause this issue.

Just remember your song - life has hit you with its best shot again but it's all in vain because you're going to be back up on your feet again!

Let yourself rest from this new surgery but then get back in and continue enjoying life and your new hip! :loveshwr::friends::flwrysmile:
 
@SaraK, I read your posts with tears in my eyes. Your positive spirit and personal connection fills my heart.

You are correct; the surgeon has never said anything like that to me. And I went to California without asking his advice or on the trip to Connecticut. I asked my PT what he thought about going to Connecticut and he said as long as I stopped on the hour and walked around for about 5 minutes he was okay with it. And we were staying with family. But I had a very bad cold up there and spent 3 days in bed at my sister in laws insistence.

It was the trip California with stops off of the ship and a rather heavy tension at the family level that wore me out. Took me at least a week to get back my energy. It exhausted me. That's why I am thinking that those trips took a great deal out of me. I'm not blaming myself, really. But I recognize what you are cautioning me against. I'm pretty vulnerable at the moment; I'm trying to make sense about this 2 + years journey and I can't, of course do that. But I'll get my ducks in a row and move into this recovery. They were joking with me in the hospital that it wasn't my first rodeo. That's the fun way of looking at it; two years of rodeos would have been fun though. This not so much.

Hit me with your best shot LIFE 'cause, in the end of this short misery, I can take it. Husband, my dear sweetheart, whose birthday it is today, made chicken piccata tonight. One of my favorite meals. OS and dieting are telling me protein at every meal and concentration fresh veggies and fruit instead of vitamin pills. Take a good vitamin and mineral pill to make up any difference there may be. He is taking on the cooking and making everything fresh, sweet potatoes and fresh spinach nicely wilted tonight. He's actually a natural. Bless him.

My newest new hip is just waiting in the wings. Not too much pain. I iced tonight; sort of sore from walking today. Andy, my old PT came today and wanted the whole story. He said he's had at least 4 cases like this in this last year which a lot on average. But other than some pain on the incision site when I walk, not a another thing. And the OS fooled around in that area and changed out some parts, the ball and the liner in the socket.

Good night, sweet, smart and loving SaraK. I am listening. Have a lovely evening. :roseshwr::yes!:
 
Last edited:
Hopefully this latest bump in the road is the last hurdle to getting all well.
Who could blame you for anticipating a "now what?" After all you've been through?
Healing hugs, Zinnia!:angel:
 
Wishing you well @zinnia . In the early days after my surgery I had a few bottles of Ensure protein drinks which I used more or less like a supplement to be sure I got enough protein when my appetite wasn’t so good. You probably don’t need that since you have a gourmet cook looking after you and fixing your meals. I’m hoping this is your last hurdle to recovery. Take care.
 
Love :loveshwr: and hugs for today :console2:
Know you're special to me!
@zinnia
 
I drank the protein drinks in the hospital @GrannyC. I liked the chocolate. I actually make whey powder, yogurt, milk and fresh fruit smoothies at home which are pretty heavy in the protein. I drink one in the afternoon usually. I am on 4 -5 small meals a day each with some protein. I made 117 grams protein yesterday, (50-144 grams). Today I think it will even be more. Giving hubby a break in the cooking department tonight. I have a meat loaf from a local "made from scratch seller" waiting in the refrigerator.

Andy put me on the cane today @Layla. Progress! No pain except for tenderness around the incision but he looks at it every day and it is doing so well. Knock on wood! No new reports. They continue to monitor the cultures but the one with the so-called contaminate hasn't cultured into any thing so I assume all is well. Thank you and all for hanging in with me. Love and hugs.

@Mojo333 your bright spirit is with me too. I like your positive remarks; they make me feel hopeful. How could I be doing the latest adventure without you and all the others who stand by my side. Thank you just doesn't do it!
Love to you and Every One. And beautiful days ahead for us all. :loveshwr::loveshwr::loveshwr::loveshwr::roseshwr::flwrysmile:
 
This will be your year, dear Zinnia.
No more additions to your signature and you Must know how much encouragement you given to others facing revisions...:tada:
I am proud you are on our forum and proud you choose to persevere.
Love right back at you!:loveshwr:
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

  • Axx72
    Staff member since December 27, 2023
  • Jaycey
    ADMINISTRATOR Staff member since February 2011

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,181
Messages
1,597,070
BoneSmarties
39,365
Latest member
Dave4562
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom