What kind of mobility can I expect with an antibiotic spacer in my hip

Isabel,
My infection did not involve E-Coli, so I do not know which antibiotic(s) are best for that. You can be confident your doctor started with the best treatment. In conversations I had with my infectious disease doctor, she said there are certain instances when she will change the antibiotic, or the method of delivery. Your case probably doesn’t require that, but it is OK to ask. I bombarded my surgeon and infectious disease doctors with questions because I thought the stakes were too high (with a MRSA infection) not to be fully informed. To fight MRSA, I was given the option of either Vancomycin or Daptomycin, both via daily infusions for 6 weeks. I chose Daptomycin because it only requires one infusion each day, rather than two. Also, they thought it would be kinder to my kidneys. Since making that choice, I have read that a Vancomycin-resistant MRSA now exists (referred to as VRSA), although not widespread yet. Scary stuff. I am praying for the eradication of harmful microorganisms in all of us. Blessings, and Happy New Year, jbro

Good luck Izobel let us know how you get on. I used to dream I would get up and walk on my spacer without my crutches and fall flat on my face! I always woke in a cold sweat over that one. X

@jbro. I had the MRSA on March when I had the TKR ... well, to be specific the week before as I had contracted it at the previous hospital I transferred from. I was in isolation for 5 days and I don't know what antibiotic I was on but it cleared in that my Surgeon performed the TKR. This current E-Coli infection is in my hip discovered when Surgeon (same one as knee) opened me to do Hip Revision, originally having been done in December 2014 at the hospital where I contracted the MRSA! The current hospital (private) tested me twice during the last episode for MRSA with negative results.

I understand even those in the medical profession do not know how or why some get infections. My Infectious Diseases doctor told me we all have E-Coli in our system (like Herpes) and sometimes it just comes out to play! He said perhaps it saw a foreign body (ie my hip prothesis) and decided to go reside there! Better there than the liver and kidneys which has devastating consequences. Both of my are currently checked regularly.

I know people don't agree using the same Surgeon for knees and hips let alone revisions ... but this guy is tops and been with this hospital 18 years and well respected and recommended. My TKR in March has great ROM and is straight and the scar is fading into oblivion. He also takes time with me and he has a wonderful bedside manner. He visited every day in hospital (16 days) even donning hazmat gear, I have never seen a PA and even he calls me at home with results. Could not ask for better.

I am wishing everyone on here to have a good healthy 2019.

@mrfish welcome to connect! This forum will hopefully provide you with some useful information as it did me!
First off my name is Lindsay from Missouri . I have undergone 5 hip replacements and a few antibiotic hip spacers all on my left hip. I have been thru 4 of those due to infection. So I'm kind of an expert when it comes to this subject lol
The hip spacer itself isn't terrible...its a little bit longer recovery and not as comfortable as an actual replacement however its far better than going without a hip. Mine worked great and did its job along with the iv antibiotics.
So if you don't mind me asking...how long have they said you might have the spacer?? In my opinion the longer you can keep the spacer and go without infection the better. Obviously I'm not a medical professional...just a professional at getting infected hip replacements lol lol
I wish you all the best and pray for a smooth recovery!
Lindsay

@lynzze, Hi my name is Neka and I'm currently dealing with an antibiotic spacers and it has been very painful the whole time. Today is my last day of antibiotic treatment I'm just nervous because the doctors were never able to figure out what type of staph infection I was dealing with. Since you've dealt with it what would you suggest about me going forward with getting the hip replacement surgery done after antibiotic treatment

Hi Neka. Nice talking to you. I should have waited wait 6 weeks and had low CRP and ESR before they proceeded. This indicated that the infection in the tissues surrounding the device were free from infection. I had to wait longer as I couldn't get an operating slot. The surgeon then took swabs at the surgery all of which were still positive for Staph Caprae. (You cannot eradicate the infection on the biofilm of the device once it's there. This will continue to reinfect if not treated). Once the device was out I was given Vancomycin twice a day until the swabs taken during the op came back negative. They didn't! They came back showing another potential staph infection. My microbiologist felt it was a contaminent as it didn't show for 10 days. So I had to have another 6 weeks of oral antibiotics. I feel well for the first time since the initial hip replacement went in and this is what reassures me. The infection had made me very anaemic and had affected my liver and kidneys. The recent blood tests show this is now correcting. There really is nothing you can do but have trust in your surgeon I have to say mine is a brilliant man. I just class myself as unfortunate this has happened to me. I really wish you well please let me know how you are. Lin x

@linjane I was taking three different antibiotics at first vancomycin, rosephin, and ranvampyn. I hope I spelled them correctly...lol, but I started having a reaction to vancomycin and the rosephin, and the ranvampyn (which was an oral antibiotic). So they took me off the vancomycin and rosephin. And replaced it with ranvampyn in iv form, and teflero. I'm just hoping they cleared the infection, because this spacer is very uncomfortable and painful. I've had the spacer in now since November 7

Hi Neka. Nice talking to you. I should have waited wait 6 weeks and had low CRP and ESR before they proceeded. This indicated that the infection in the tissues surrounding the device were free from infection. I had to wait longer as I couldn't get an operating slot. The surgeon then took swabs at the surgery all of which were still positive for Staph Caprae. (You cannot eradicate the infection on the biofilm of the device once it's there. This will continue to reinfect if not treated). Once the device was out I was given Vancomycin twice a day until the swabs taken during the op came back negative. They didn't! They came back showing another potential staph infection. My microbiologist felt it was a contaminent as it didn't show for 10 days. So I had to have another 6 weeks of oral antibiotics. I feel well for the first time since the initial hip replacement went in and this is what reassures me. The infection had made me very anaemic and had affected my liver and kidneys. The recent blood tests show this is now correcting. There really is nothing you can do but have trust in your surgeon I have to say mine is a brilliant man. I just class myself as unfortunate this has happened to me. I really wish you well please let me know how you are. Lin x

I am really stunned hearing about people getting staph infections from a joint replacement. I think if I had known this before my two knee replacements I may not have had them and just lived in pain. Does anyone know the percentage of people who end up having to go through this?
JK

Hi JK. The figure I was given was less than 1% for hips. Many of the staff on the orthopaedic ward I was on had never nursed anyone that had had my procedure. I have no idea for knee but I seem to that this may be higher but don't quite me. You are one of the lucky ones. Lin