Hip replacement complication

Yes, outcomes are important, but I don't think we as patients can access the outcomes for surgeons, although fortunately they probably have review of each other, and outcomes are generally satisfactory.
If you search on JAMA hip replacement outcomes by approach, "Superpath" hip replacement in Google scholar, and hip replacement outcomes for hip replacement, I believe you will find, surprisingly, the failure* rate of hip replacements after 1 year is 1 to 2 % regardless of Surgical approach, surgical volumes, and other factors. *Failure including fracture, instability, infection, dislocation, and other serious bad outcomes, the ones in surgical consents. Also, failure continues at low rates after the first year, indefinitely.

That said, I would be more comfortable with an experienced surgeon, preferably trained at a renowned orthopedic center (Mayo Clinic, Rush, John's Hopkins for a few examples), who carefully examined the patient as a whole (especially factors such as lumbosacral status and overall orthopedic health), before doing surgery.

Best wishes, especially if you are proceeding to another surgery!

Steveinarizona, bselby,
outcomes are important, but I don't think we as patients can access the outcomes for surgeons - fortunately they probably have review of each other, and outcomes are generally satisfactory.
If you search on JAMA hip replacement outcomes by approach, "Superpath" hip replacement in Google scholar, and hip replacement outcomes for hip replacement, I believe you will find, surprisingly, the failure* rate of hip replacements after 1 year is 1 to 2 % regardless of Surgical approach, surgical volumes, and other factors. *Failure including fracture, instability, infection, numbness, dislocation, and other serious bad outcomes, the ones in surgical consents. Also, failure continues at low rates after the first year, indefinitely. Some of the bad outcomes can be corrected, of course.

That said, I would be more comfortable with an experienced surgeon, preferably trained at a renowned orthopedic center (Mayo Clinic, Rush, John's Hopkins for a few examples), who carefully examined the patient as a whole (especially factors such as lumbosacral status and overall orthopedic health), before doing surgery.

Best wishes, especially if you are proceeding to corrective therapy or another surgery!

My surgeon had done hundreds of hip replacements including my first on the left, However, it did not eliminate him hitting the nerve on the right side. Nothing is full proof unfortunately. My best.

Mine too is a very good surgeon; but I have a "dead" outer thigh, even at 1 month post op. Sometimes I'll get a few twinges; but not often yet. Dreading if/when the feeling does come back cause they say it is awful pain. Nerve endings coming back to life can be extremely painful. Right now I'm still dealing with the soreness and stiffness up and down the entire operated leg. Seems every morning is like starting all over again!!

Been through it. Sorry it is rough. I have had that widespread numbing experience when I also had my spine rearranged and made with metal. My entire lower back was numb. Five or six years post (and I also had hip replacement prior to the spine). It is a slow recovery, but based on my experience, do not put a stop watch on it, do the best that you can and in my case several years for it to come 95% back (but I am old and was old already). Compliance with doctors, watch pain killers, and most importantly lifestyle stability: sleeping, eating, bathing, distraction instead of concentrating on your loss of functioning or sensation. Anyway, good fortune and best of health to you.

Mike G.

Mike, that’s a great way to look at recovery. Good advice about distraction instead of concentrating on your loss of functioning or sensation. Nerve pain can become a full time job if you let it be. Thanks for your words.

@hyde3357 I'm4 weeks out from my first Anterior THR and still have a large area of swelling, pain and numbness on the lateral aspect of my affected thigh. Your comment about waiting for 3 1/2 months to feel better was both encouraging to me (because I still can have hope to see real improvement-although I am the typically impatient person- I want to see results right now! And actually I already have a lot more mobility) and discouraging, in that I went into this disillusioned with the immediate potential improvement. I am now looking at my second hip being replaced the end of October. It is going to take much more bravery to have the second surgery than it did for the first. I would reconsider if it didn't mean potentially getting me out of a wheelchair and back on my own two feet. You are quite brave to have had knees and now a hip too!

@windyl

You could just be the victim of random outcomes or your surgeon might not have done the best job. If you think it is the former, then you will probably be okay if you stick with your surgeon. If you think it is the latter, you should research and find a new surgeon.

Anterior is a relatively new method although it has been somewhat superseded in that space by various versions of supercap (such as Superpath and STAR). The key, however, IMO, is that whatever method you use, the surgeon is very experienced in that method. Experience trumps methodology. But...of course, try to get both.

@windyl Patience is the key! At 4 weeks, your incision is barely healed. The underlying tissue, muscles, tendons, bone and nerves are just beginning to recover.
The numbness is from irritated or severed nerves. These will tell you when they begin to recover, with tingling, pins and needles or other symptoms, which can last quite a while and change from day to day. Nerves regenerate at a rate of about 1 - 2 mm/day, or 1/8 to 1/4" per month.
The swelling and pain are from other tissues healing, and will resolve over time. You can help speed things up by doing some lymphatic massage - your PT can show you how.
You WILL feel better over the next couple months. When surgeons tell you how "fast" healing will be, in my experience (after 5 hip surgeries and several other ortho surgeries) they are talking about the incision healing and the implant being correct - the rest of it is very individual. Since you were in a wheelchair, I think maybe your situation had been bad/deteriorating for a while? This can increase complete recovery time.

When I was young (54), I had two hip replacements 8 weeks apart. My results were excellent with no complications, but I was exhausted for MONTHS. Then my primary explained that after major surgery, even without complications, your body is recovering for at least 4-6 months, possibly as long as a year. When I needed revisions some years later (due to recalled and no-longer-used implants) we waited 3 months between surgeries, and I was much less tired.

Is there a particular reason to do the second surgery before you have fully healed from the first? Maybe waiting until 4 months have passed to do the next surgery would be better for your body? This would be a good question to ask you surgeon and also your primary provider who knows your overall health better.

@sueinmn TY for the thoughtful response. Not waiting reasons are 1. Eager to he out of a wheelchair if possible (I am 59 and would love to be more active and independent). 2. Insurance- I have reached my deductible and will not have to cover near as much out of pocket for the second surgery if I have it during 2025. 3.Impatience. I postponed for a long while because I was providing care to a family member. I will take the time to consider all you have said. Thank you 😊