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Chronic Pain 2 years Post op- Hip Replacement
My husband has had bad hips his whole life. The Doctors speculate his growth plates slipped in early adolescent, causing deformed hips. Fast forward, at 60 he had his right hip replaced. No pain until the 4th week post-op during PT and surgical site infection. He was put on antibiotics for over 15 weeks, surgery site was never washed out. The pain has never gone away! He's had 4 hip aspirations, all of which have shown no infection. After 20 weeks of PT, 3X week, pain never improved. Physical Therapist told him to go back to the surgeon because he was not progressing. The Surgeon recommended iliposoas tendon release surgery. He had iliposoas tendon release surgery, and 8 more weeks of PT, 3X week. The pain never improved. He has tried acupuncture, electroacupuncture, stretch Lab, Cortisone injections. For diagnostics, he's had MRI's of hip, pelvis. and lower back, the results are all normal. He's had a three phase bone scan, which shows no infection or loosening. He has severe startup pain going from the sitting to the standing position, in the groin/socket area. We've seen so many doctors, with no answers. Please help us, any advice?
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Sounds awful! Has he ever tried water aerobics?please update as things improve?
Thank you for your suggestion. My husband has tried PT in our pool, but the pain didn't improve.
Perhaps additional blood work and or test to determine there are no other issues like a fracture or loose component! My wife had both and was on heavy pain medication for over nine months. Every time she did pt the following day she could hardly move because of the pain, come to find out she sustained a fracture when she was dropped at rehabs and required a revision! If it doesn’t feel right, make an appointment and express himself. He is not just a number and needs to be heard! He had this surgery to feel better and that should be his results! Best of luck!
Thank you for your support and suggestions! we feel so alone and abandoned by the health care system. My husband has had 2 three phase bone scans CT and the results have shown no fractures or loosening. I've been reading about the "silent loosening" which doesn't show up on CT scans. It's just trying to convince a surgeon to go in and do a revision when all test results and imaging appear normal. There's something going on, and whatever it is we are in that 1% unfortunately!
I had left hip replaced January 2024. I have had chronic pain since, especially weight bearing,or if I lift anything or 10lbs. The pain goes down the outside of my leg and around my knee at times,I also have pain in middle of thigh. I had numerous tests also. The last doctor at Penn Med thinks it is my osteoarthritis in my SI joint. I am having an injection next week but if it does not work I am going back to the surgeon. My quality of life is awful and I fought breast cancer through the hip replacements. I don't like taking drugs because I have osteoporosis.
I'm sorry to hear you've had a rough road to recovery. My husband fought prostate cancer at the same time as having his hip replacement, so I understand the additional stress fighting cancer brings post op hip replacement recovery. My husband just had a third cortisone injection this week, but he's not hopeful it will help, given the past two injections did nothing. Have you had an EMG test, to rule out nerve or muscle damage?