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I've had 3 hip replacement. Last year I was diagnosed with MRSA in my hip. I went through a stage one procedure which did not work. My second was a stage two and now have a spacer. For the first time in years I'm pain free and in rehab using a walker and moving to a cane shortly. My doctor suggested keeping it in and hold off with a prosthesis.
My question is how long can a spacer be kept in?
Replies to "I've had 3 hip replacement. Last year I was diagnosed with MRSA in my hip. I..."
Since 2014 I have no spacers or any other apparatus in the hip space. The ball was removed from the femur and there is no trochanter. It's basically a flat ended femur which has bottomed out on the pelvis. The leg is about 3 3/4 inches shorter than my other leg. I have a built up shoe. I also am pain free. I can walk with the Rollator walker and crutches, sometimes one crutch. So I don't have any direct experience with spacers.
Same spacer for 14, years... WOW. I am a candidate for another replacement. I'm 65 but I'm very active, at least as active as I can be under the circumstances. I'm not ready to surrender to being wheelchair bound and crutches are bad enough. I'm using a walker now that's temporary stopgap before a cane. Other than my hip I'm in fairly good health. I'm following a vigorous physical therapy regimen. I exercise several times a day concentrating on my hip muscles that has atrophied in the past few years. What held me back the last couple of years was the MRSA infection which gave me enothing but severe and chronic pain. Pain gone I exercise harder.
Hi,i had my spacer in for 2 and a half years it was very comfy,although i walked with crutches i could drive and did long haul flights,unfortunately the middle of November it fractured and ,y surgeon in the UK put me in a Proximal Femoral Endoprosthetic replacement as i had no femur after infection 3 times in 8 years,its early days but so far has gone better than we could of imagined. I went to theatre not knowing whether i would have another spacer or replacement,everyone was very thrill ed there was no infection and beautifully clean,i am on no antibiotics.,and had been off IV for 18 months. Only time will tell,i have had masses of bone grafting around my knee and a new cup called an ice cream cone was made whilst my pelvis was re built. My feeling sf last as long as you can with a spacer the more chance of getting rid of the infection you will have.Good luck and thinking of youxxx
Hello coonhound, I am Sunnyflower. May I ask, what is a spacer? You have endured an awful lot of trauma on your journey! My heart is heavy reading your story. I wish you God's comfort and peace through Christ which surpasses human understanding. Many blessings and may you stay well and have no further problems with your hip/s!! Warmest wishes, Sunnyflower
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My cousin has had a spacer for 14 years, but due to other major health issues she is not a candidate for another implant. After several years of walking with a walker, she has moved to using a wheelchair. But without the infected hip, she also was pain free.
Sue