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<p>THR Dislocation Risks</p><p>Hi there<br />I'm thinking of going the direct anterior route, which from what I've read, reduces dislocation risk during recovery. But are hip dislocations after THR something that one runs the risk of for the rest of one's life, or just until all the muscles and tendons/ligaments have fully recovered? And how long is that, typically?<br />I've also read that a larger femoral head reduces the risk of dislocation. So I guess the surgeon has some leeway in determining the size of the replacement parts.<br />Cheers<br />Ross</p>
Replies to "THR Dislocation RisksHi thereI'm thinking of going the direct anterior route, which from what I've read,..."
Hi Ross
I have had 7 hip replacements and 7 dislocations! I know wow
I had a anterior approach done on my left 10 years ago and had no problems with that and recovery was good . The other 6 were on the right and done posterior, although the first was ok I had a bad surgeon and she placed and used wrong sizing etc so when I had a fall off my horse 4/5 years into it it moved and I had lots of pain for a few years until I finally found out I had damaged it and they x rayed the wrong side ! Anyway I then had 2 have a revision 5 years ago which went well but unfortunately I got a infection that took 2 years to find . Always check your blood tests for any signs ( high crp , white blood cells. , and anaemic ) I then went through 2 2 phase surgeries to get rid of infection I kept dislocating and no one really knew why ? Lots of speculation but muscle and tendon damage from infection was a main cause , but sizing of ball and stem and placement is also important.
I am 3 weeks post my last operation in which I had a capsular liner put in to stop it coming out . So far so good
Do your homework and research your surgeon
All the best
Hi Ross - I have had my hips for over 15 years, I am very active and had ONE dislocation, one week after a revision surgery. It was due to too small a head being used by the surgeon. Once fully healed (9 months) I have felt NO instability. According to my very experienced surgeon, dislocation after uncomplicated THR is extremely rare. I was careful to find a surgeon with an excellent record regarding post-surgical infection, since an infected joint is a bigger problem.
I believe the key to success is to do as much therapy as possible BEFORE and after surgery so the muscles are in peak condition and follow the guidelines during healing. The people I know who have had complications have either had previous injuries that were being corrected by or were found during the surgery. Another cause for problems afterward is failure to do the prescribed exercises because they hurt, are boring, take too much time...
Good luck.
Sue
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@yukoner777 It's important to get all of the information you can before surgery.
I added your question to a previous discussion related to dislocated hips and surgery. I know that your question is slightly different but members like @sueinmn @amallasch @funcountess have either experienced or discussed this topic and may be able to offer information and support.
– Hip replacement –symptoms of failure https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hip-replacement-symptoms-of-failure/
Above I have linked another related discussion related to THR. May I ask if you have had a chance to scroll through this discussion?