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What kind of mobility can I expect with an antibiotic spacer in my hip
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Jun 23, 2023 | Replies (279)Comment receiving replies
Thank you Candace. Wow...a year w/ a spacer! I had mine for three months and was sooo glad to get it out...but my infection came back pretty quickly. Others on here who had experience with spacers recommened keeping it for as long as I could, so that's good advice. You've had the spacer for 4-5 months or so now...how well are you able to get around?
Fortunately my latest episode a few weeks ago turned out to be a false alarm (of sorts). I definitely had some kind of infection going on...swelling, redness and hot to the touch. It was on one side of my surical scar, but it was improving by the time I got in to see my infectious disease Doc. He thinks it might have been something superficial, and not originiating from the joint. He said "scars can do weird things sometimes". It scared the heck out of us, but he other times the joint infection presented, it also came with a loss of strength and flexibility. That didn't happen this time and I take a little comfort in that fact.
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I'm catching up on reading all the postings in this discussion. I hope you are still free of infection since your false alarm episode that occurred approximately 3 months after your last IV antibiotics treatment. Today is the first day of my 3-month observation period in which I need to be free of infection for the doctors to say I am clear of an MRSA infection of the tissue near the incision (that hopefully never attached to my prosthesis) following my September THR. Yesterday I finished my 6 weeks of daily antibiotic infusions, which began with my October debridement surgery.
If my infection returns, then I will have to travel a path similar to yours, but my surgeon mentioned 2-stage rather than 1-stage for a 2nd THR. Apparently your surgeon gave you the option for 1-stage. Can I ask you to comment on that again?
Also, did the subject of a "salvage" procedure (resection arthroplasty, or "Girdlestone") ever come up as the most successful way to eradicate infection, albeit with functional outcomes that do not compare well with a successful THR?
Thank you for your time.
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Oh my! I'm so glad to hear that. What a scare it was I'm sure. I pay your new hip continues to do well for you and no infection or any other complications.
I think I'm doing reasonably well with the spacer. I was toe touch weight bearing with my walker/crutches for about 5 weeks. The surgeon saw me before I left to head back home and I was released to drive home, weight bearing as tolerated, side leg lifts (a thousand a day he said jokingly), swimming, and very light stationary bicycle. It took me another couple weeks to put more weight on it. He wanted me to wean to just one crutch by the end of July and I made it. I do my side leg lifts, stretch regularly (whole body but carefully with the leg) and I've done some swimming, I feel the best in the water. It's sore in the front thigh area but I'll take sore any day over how crappy I was feeling with the infection. Every now and then I get some sharp pains when I do certain movements but not often and I can't identify what I'm doing so I just deal with it. I'm guessing it's the spacer, doesn't last long and it's tolerable. I think I was almost to make it to a cane the end of August but I tripped over a floor mat leaving a restaurant and had quite the setback. I did the try to keep yourself from falling thing and it was definitely not ready to take that weight or pressure in the front. I think I strained my thigh mussels and just tweaked my knee and whole leg in general. Back on two crutches I went. My massage lady has helped tremendously and is experienced in medical massage and orthopedics. Most importantly does not cost a fortune as most medical massage therapists do. I saw my Ortho here a little earlier than planned to make sure I did't hurt the spacer but it looks good and I'm about to send off my CD to the surgeon at Mayo and ask a few questions. I'm just now starting back to where I was before the trip thankfully.
Without some PT and more strength training I don't see me getting off my one crutch until I get my new hip. Which is fine, this leg has been through a lot of surgeries so I'm happy to wait it out to make sure and give myself the best chance for success with the final hip. I've got 40 pounds to loose so that will give me some time to get more healthy now that I feel good again.