Femur perforation during anterior hip replacement?

Posted by Mamie @mamie, Oct 19, 2018

My 60+ sister always seems to get the odd outcome for surgeries and it has happened again now with her anterior hip replacement. Her board-certified surgeon informed her that, as he prepared her joint, an instrument he was using punched a hole about as big around as his little finger through her femur. Now she is on less than 50% weight bearing on that leg for the next 4-6 weeks with the hope that it heals well and does not cause a fracture. Needless to say, she is depressed and it makes her return home (single with an active pet) more problematic. Has anyone else experienced this with anterior (or other types of) hip replacement? I'd like to give her some reassurance and hope.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

mamm | @mamm | Oct 19, 2018

I am so sorry to hear about your problems. What totally surprises me is that your Doctor was so honest and told you the mistakes he made as most are afraid of suing. My sister had a THR and her surgeon cut her tendon. She went back to him several times saying something is wrong du to all the pain she was having. He finally sent her to a surgeon at Duke. This doctor tried to fix her problem but said it was too late. If he could have seen her sooner he would have been able to reattach the tendon to the musle but it had deteriorated too much.