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In February 2021 I took my husband to ER in extreme right hip pain (THR in 2008 with no complications). It was found to be a very rare bacterial infection and they removed the original prosthetic hip and put in a spacer with 8 weeks of antibiotics IV. In May after negative tests and new hip was put in. All tests for infection negative; but put on oral antibiotic. In late June excessive drainage at incision. Hip was debrided and washed and wound vac then 2 days later washed again and some parts of new hip replaced. Enterococous infection, 6 more weeks with PICC line antibiotics, another debridement in August. then oral antibiotics,. All cultures from August negative. Infection symptoms after 2 weeks on oral antibiotics. Girdlestone procedure on September 1. 8 weeks of PICC antibiotics then oral antibiotics. All cultures from Sep. 1 were negative. The incision healed well but fluid collects between the layers of tissue in his thigh. Aspirated fluids are negative cultures.
Fluid removed in Dec., Jan. Feb. and March all negative but he is still on antibiotics until Mar. 8. Ortho at Mayo says no surgery until 1 year and no antibiotics for several months. He is poor surgery candidate at present due to poor bone quality in right femur and previous infections and 6 hip surgeries in 7 months. What will if be like if he cannot have a new hip put in? He has spent over a year with very little exercise and even now 7 months post surgery he can put no weight on leg without extreme pain. He gets around house with 2 wheeled walker and crutches for short distances, otherwise a wheelchair. He has been told no Physical therapy is available for someone without a hip. It has been difficult to control pain if he is very active. Will he ever be able to walk, get around in his shop to work on vehicles, drive (since it is his right leg), work in garden? Our bedroom is 8 steps above the main floor of house, will he ever be able to manage those steps without a hip? It is difficult to keep your spirit up when your daily activity is: watch TV , peruse the internet, read, and walk to bathroom. We just do not know what to expect?
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I am 70 and had left Girdlestone Resection in Feb of 2022 due to severe infection in bone and muscles. My THR was in 2007 and served me well up until then. This was done on emergency basis and surgeon said it was Girdlestone or amputation once he got in there and saw all the damage. Also had to remove part of my Quadricep muscle, IT band, and part of gluteal muscle on the left. Surgeon told me he would not recommend ever trying to put in another hip. The risk was too great for infection, fractures, etc. I'm on life long antibiotics to keep infection down. Going through surgery once was pretty traumatic for me, I can't imagine what you have endured going through 6 surgeries! I can't imagine why anyone would say Physical Therapy is not necessary as it absolutely is. Physical Therapy taught me how to go up and down steps before I even left the hospital after my surgery last year! I've learned all types of exercises to strengthen my remaining thigh muscles, glutes, etc to help support me and continue to do exercises daily. In the beginning, I did use a wheel chair a lot to get around in, but I am happy to say that I get around very well with crutches or rollator and can walk at a regular pace now. I can even use one crutch quite well and hoping to get to just a cane one day. I can go up and down steps fine with one crutch and using handrail. I'm riding an upright exercise bike for 10 miles a day (two 30 minute sessions). I can cook, clean bathrooms and even sweep the floors now. We went camping and fishing last summer and plan more trips this year. I can easily step on a pontoon boat and I think this year, I will be able to get on our bass boat to fish! I'll never hike trails again or really walk, but I do have a quality of life, so please tell your husband not to give up. He has been through so much and it will take time for body to heal, and determination to get stronger, so if he has that...he can do it. Also, since my one leg is about 2-3 inches shorter than the other now, my husband has been glueing extra soles on the bottoms of my shoe and it really helps to walk and not get issues with back pain. We've even bought those cheap plastic flip flops and used the soles to add to shoes for height. We live in Michigan. I'll be thinking and praying for him to get through all this.....Cindy