Has anyone had gluteus medius/minimus tendon repair with good outcome?

Thank you for your email. There are so many conflicting messages from orthopedic surgeons many who are not versed on gluteus medius or minimus tears. Like you, I am living your experience, am 82 yrs of age with good health and many years ahead of me. I experienced a gluteus medius tear following a hip replacement. but was treated for bursitis. It was a spine surgeon who ordered an MRI because he thought I had a gluteus tear. Bingo, a missed diagnosis for months. I've met w/ three orthopedic surgeons locally, all advised against a gluteus medius transfer. However, I had an appointment with Dr. Robert Barnett at Rush Orthopedic Center in Chicago. He has a reputation for successful gluteus medius transfers. Dr. B did say moving slowly, etc., thru months of recovery I would no longer have a Trendelenburg gate and balance would be improved, but would not speak to reduced pain. So, I'm on the fence and every time I lose my balance I give surgery another thought. I, too, walk w/ a cane outside the house, but furniture walk, use door frames, any thing I can reach out and grab when needed while walking in the house. PT was not beneficial to me, nor is an injection from pain management. I start my day with a heating pad under my hip, this gives me a good start--gets me moving. You might want to ask for a prescription pain med to help when pain is unbearable, not every day, but when unbearable. Over the counter meds just don't give relief. If you sleep on your back, you have some night time relief. I sleep nightly w/ half/split Trazodone 50 Mg Tablet. This helps a lot.
I wonder if AARP would consider writing up a detailed article on the topic of gluteus medius tears, because I have come across many who have our experience and have had no place to turn. Yes, the Internet has much info, but there are very few US orthopedic surgeons who perform a gluteus medius transfer surgery. And not one of the orthopedic surgeons locally with whom I met or are following me knew of or could refer me to a surgeon who performs transfers. I have done much research, made telephone calls, etc, so I feel informed. But slow to decide on surgery. Wishing you well. Stay in touch. Joanne

This has given me something to do while laying flat on my back. I’m 5 days out from a repair for a full thickness tear of my right gluteus medius tendon. The pain hasn’t been difficult and I didn’t need any meds at home. So far the most difficult things have been using the toilet and showering, and my arthritic hands are already tired of the crutches and walker. I am also in my head a little, worrying about damaging the repair. My restrictions are no load bearing, a brace to limit hip movement to 60 degrees, and no abduction or adduction.

I’m 57 male and managed to tear this while doing PT for the left hip. I cannot imagine having the strength and stamina for recovery at a more advanced age.

I had the repair done by Dr. Devon Myers in St. Louis. He has been fantastic, but the hospital seemed vastly unprepared to care for me after. The nurses simply underestimated the difficulty and weren’t going to let me talk with occupational therapy. Heck, they were expecting me to walk to the car and I was weak and unsteady, having never used crutches. By then I was more than 24 hours out from any nutrition, having had nothing aside from ice chips and water. I guess my advice is to be sure both the surgeon and post-op care team are prepared. I think the procedure is uncommon enough that the nurses simply hadn’t experienced it,

Edit: In my case, the tear was found to be a little less severe than believed from MRI. I had significant calcification that had to be cleaned out. It made the tear more difficult to assess without going in. Dr. Myers also cleaned out the calcification, which is now believed to be responsible for my left hip pain that started this mess. I hope to get that taken care of also. I did not respond well to one year of PT.

I had a PRP injection for a gluteus medius tendon almost a year ago with good PT and personal training with excellent results. I continue to work with my personal trainer working on core and butt which we all need to do.

@weevilone Thank you for sharing. So from what I read your surgery performed was to repair a full thickness tear which translated is a complete tear. More about the repair: how attached? Did you have a gluteus maximus/medius transfer? Because mending/repairing a gluteus tear is as my surgeon tells me "is like trying to sew hamburger together".
I do wish you the best in this long stretch of recovery time and be cautious in every move you make. Do you have a complete list of movements, etc., that you ought not to do or very carefully? Like bending, no heavy lifting, climbing stairs, getting up out of seating, and how/positions to sleep, etc.? If you have time you may want to Google gluteus repairs and oh my you will find answer to questions you haven't likely thought of. Joanne K

@ennaoj44 I wasn’t very clear.

I was diagnosed with a full thickness, partial width tear. The surgeon warned that the size of the tear couldn’t be assessed because of all the calcification. I had gait issues, strength loss, and pain. The pain had improved by surgery but wasn’t gone. I was starting to compensate and cause knee issues on the opposite side, so I had the surgery. I had also noticed what I think were little micro tears when doing activities after the initial injury.

He got inside, cleaned out all the milky white stuff, and was able to assess the tear. In the end, it was torn away on one side of the thickness, but attached on the other. I guess it was some sort of diagonal, so in reality not a full thickness tear as the radiology report indicated. This was best case for me.

So to answer, no transfer or anything needed because I was still attached. If I had known it wasn’t full thickness then that would have been an additional variable to consider pre-surgery.

Regardless, the recovery is now the same. I am in a brace that limits my knee bend to 60 degrees from flat, so I can’t sit except in a recliner that I don’t have access to. I am not allowed any weight on the right leg, so I effectively can’t lift anything. I’m on walker and crutches and hopping along with my right leg suspended. Since I did have some attachment, I am allowed to toe tap when standing for balance, but not load. I am not permitted any abduction or adduction, so no side to side movement. I am sleeping on my back. I didn’t ask about this, but I think the belt for the brace would be painful on my side. I also think I’d be at risk of adduction or unconsciously reorienting to my back in my sleep and that would not be good.

Being careful is generally easy but there are moments where bad things can happen. There are so many times when you do something without thought, to adjust positioning or whatever. It is interesting climbing into bed while keeping weight off the leg and not doing sideways movements. It is tough to not dig heels into the mattress to shift. I don’t know if this would matter.

The toilet is terrible. The doc thought I’d be able to sit and go. Nope. My brace would lock me out before I could get that low. I have a seat assist contraption that hovers me over and has handles, but even that is really difficult. You lean back to honor the 60, the brace is locked, and the tank is a rear obstacle. It is just a strength and geometry problem. I worry every time and it feels super sketchy. Of course it hurts too, especially in the morning before any ice packs since it is tight.

Showering is tough. The doc told me to get in there standing, remove the brace and clothing, stand on one foot while toe tapping the other lightly for balance. There is a handle, but my left leg is super fatigued all the time. I don’t think I can stand in soapy water long enough to do this safely. Instead I got the tallest shower chair I can find. I get situated so my leg angle is ok and I lean back some and hang on. My wife takes off my brace. I wash waist up and she washes waist down, pretty much. This also feels sketchy but I don’t know what else to do. I’m alternating sponge baths and have considered just shaving my head to make it easier.

Regardless, my consult is next Friday and hopefully I get 90 degrees. It will help so much. Anyways, I hope this helps someone. My house is 3 story and the stairs on crutches are just too tough. Between fatigue, the sore good leg, and my sore hands, it isn’t worth it. I’m just living in my bedroom and master bathroom for now.

Oh my, do I feel your pain and aggravations. Stairs are not your friend, now or 6 months from now. I'm sure you have considered every adaptation available. Suggestions: would a weekly visit to a hair salon be helpful or Google shampooing hair adapters for using at the kitchen sink. And of course, a sponge bath is not quite the same, but if you have help this works. I'd be so fearful of falling in the shower. And the use of a bed pan might be a remedy for go issues. There are also unfriendly adapters/pull ups for night time relief so you don't have to get up to go :). If only we could sleep in a stryker frame. It's just one day at a time. Remember to laugh and let everybody around you help make living a bit easier. We ought not to pass up offers of help because helpers are rewarded intricately and our thank you with a smile is their reward too.