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Hip replacement complication
Hello,
My sister had a THR, anterior approach, 20 days ago and was transferred to a SNF four days later not able to lift her leg. She can bend her toes, but leg is numb and can only move it to the side. She gets PT twice a day, and they scoot her foot forward to take a step. She can't make a step alone.
She hasn't seen her surgeon since pre-op, although he did call to tell her she had extensive damage and recovery would be rough.
Now she's being prepped for release in a wheelchair and her husband is scheduled for training on how to care for her.
This seems very unusual and would be interested to hear of experiences with (hopefully) short term inability to lift leg post op.
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Thanks for that info.
Many thanks for your experience and suggestions.
I had my left hip replaced. My surgeon threw out the multi page document from the hospital about not bending, crossing legs, etc. and told me that he had only two requirements:
(1) take my medicine and
(2) be a couch potato for five weeks because the only thing he can't do as a surgeon is make bones grow.
The medication was oxycodone and celecoxib. The oxy instructions were take one the first night, then continue until the pain abates and then taper off. I took one the first night because I didn't know what would happen when the anesthesia wore off. I had zero pain the next day and called the doctor and asked if I could skip the oxy. He said yes so I didn't take any more...just the first night.
A couple of days later I called again and asked if I could skip the celebrex. Again he said yes. That was a couple of years ago and I have not had any pain in that hip since.
In seeking a hip surgeon I had two requirements: (1) that the surgeon used the most current methods to avoid cutting muscles, tendons, etc. and (2) that the surgeon has done it hundreds or preferably thousands of times. Both are important but for me the second is even more important than the first. I found a surgeon who had both (Superpath and thousands of performed replacements).
Incidentally, my right knee has failed and needs replacement. I am using the same surgeon for that operation but I am impatiently waiting until I got his first available date: late September. Similar to the hip: minimally invasive subV approach.
My mom's had a hip replacement but now she's swelling up she doesn't drink water for her to have the swelling or so much intake what can she do for it
I would seriously reconsider another Dr.
There are many superb hip & knee surgeons. Mine, Jimmy chow, was the developer of the Superpath system for hip replacements and has done thousands of hips and knees.
Look for someone who meets my two requirements as I outlined. While there are many superb hip & knee surgeons, there are also many who are essentially painting by the numbers.
I mentioned that I am impatiently waiting for my knee replacement operation. The reason is that my surgeon is busy. It isn't one of my two requirements but I wouldn't want to go to a doctor who isn't busy. Alas.
Steveinarizona,
Sounds as though you did well with your hip.
I'm not surprised you could avoid oxycodone, but I am surprised you were able to call your surgeon twice the week after surgery to discontinue oxycodone and later Celebrex (celecoxib), given how busy surgeons are. Messages for me are via electronic health record messages, unless emergent.
Also surprised a surgeon would stop the NSAID (celecoxib in this case), in the first week, given the usual surgical swelling, pain, and concern for heterotrophic ossification -
But hard to know specific confounding factors such as cardiovascular risk and other medications used such as prednisone.
Good luck with the knee replacement!
Age 78 three total right Hip Replacements plus one Revision. Now I have “metalosis” and need the fifth Revision. My Pelvis is affected and needs Plating so a new Socket can be installed.
In general I have had a great life post Total Hip Replacement, the Third Replacement lasted 35 yrs. This next Chapter will be Interesting. H.
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2 ReactionsTotally agree. These fantastical stories about folks running marathons or doing without help for their pain don’t look at the number of them that have a few daily drinks or at the amount of over the counter stuff these peeps take. I’ve witnessed some of these folks in my own joint replacement recoveries and I just have to laugh.
Don’t compare yourself to idealized others. If you have a doctor that does compare you unfavorably, you are with the wrong medical provider.
Don’t forget. How many of these “comparative” medical providers have themselves never had joint replacement.
Do what works for you and use only supportive healthcare providers.
There’s enough judgment in this world. You don’t need more.
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1 ReactionMy surgeon is a single practitioner so I don't have to deal with the awful support telephone systems that don't give support (e.g., my urologist group telephone support is so bad that I just drive over to the office when I need to get support).
I was chatting with him a few days ago and we discussed the idea of the best approach to surgery and the benefit of using a surgeon who is very very experienced in a particular approach. He believes, as do I, that the experience is the most important requirement. Finding someone who has done thousands, or at least hundreds, of these procedures successfully is the best approach.
The best surgeons also are not protective of their client base. In the same discussion I was speaking of a friend of mine who is getting a "Jiffy Knee" replacement in December. He asked who the surgeon is and when I told him he said that this surgeon is excellent. He is not afraid of losing clients to other surgeons.
Essentially there are a few variables: skill, approach, location and random negative events. The more you can reduce or eliminate bad outcomes, the better your chances of having a successful surgery and final result.