Femoral nerve damage after THR

Hi thank you for your reply Jackie.  Having read quite a bit about nerve damage yours sounds more like sciatic nerve damage which causes foot drop. My numbness does not affect my foot at all just numb to the ankle. I am still getting groin pain Ironically my surgeon gave me the Thr to stop this. I was not over confident it would go as I have had this since car accident fractured my hip socket and pelvis 22years ago - I was told I would eventually need a thr. Doctors don't seem to like acknowledging they have made an error,  though they don't go into detail pre-op nerve damage is a low risk which we usually have on the consent form.My surgeon has admitted the damage but says dont know why it is as he said he didn't need.  to go near the nerve. I since read more care should be taken with a patient that has had previous pelvic reconstruction. I don't think he treated me any different to a normal replacement. As you had a revision the likelihood of nerve damage increases. Based on what I have since read on the net. I hope you also improve but I suppose we may have to c ome to terms with our disability.  Depending on the type of nerve damage - cut stretched or squashed will be the likely hood of the nerves repairing. My surgeon said I should decide when I no longer need the support of crutches or leg support.  (Knee feels it will give way - I have fallen twice) Well if I didn't use them I would not leave the house! Pain increase walking even on crutches.I will post next week to tell you what surgeon says as I have several questions I need answering. 

I hope you get better I just know i never would of had the revised if i knew i was going to have this much pain. Im waiting for referal for neurologist will see what they say. I do think your right about sciatic nerve damage before i had revised surgery I kept missing work because my back kept going outI thought having surgery would help with the pain.

Im glad i found this site it sure helps to know im not alone please let me know what happens with yiur next doctor appt

Take care

Jackie

hi debbie you posted this a year ago ,, I recently went thru a prostier approach right hip replacement and came out with fermoral nerve damage .. Leg is numb above the ankle to the top of thigh of my leg , my knee feels like a log. I can't come off the walker as my leg will give out I get brave with my cane but I just know if I continue at some point I am going to fall .. Not good . 

    How are you a year later ? I have been told they hope it comes back . And I have been to . But now I just don't know it's hard to tell how bad it's damage . Is their a way to see how bad it's damage ? I start outside pt today with the pool ., I keep telling my self I am only 5 weeks ..  

Hi Georgia it's very early days for you and it will take time for your nerves to repair. Apparently about an inch a month if it is not too damaged. My leg gave way in the hospital on my first physio walk after op. I went to sit in my chair and my leg just crumpled. Luckily I managed to grab chair arms. It was very frightEni g. It also gave way after about 3 months when I was holding my grandson I fell backwards and luckily he wasn't hurt and my hip did not come out. Third time a few weeks after that when I had started to manage to stand in the bath for a shower as I got out. You must be careful continue using your walker while your legs gain strength. Ask for extra physio it's a lot harder to recover than a straightforward op with no damage. I was given a leg brace after 4 months it made a big difference. I was able to walk without falling until after about 8 months my muscle was strong enough to bear my weight. I still can't go up and down stairs normally and don't walk far I still use crutches for support. I did have muscle wastage early on but the strength is not as good as before. I have done pool physio but it feels very strange. My leg always feels tight the more I do. You should ask to have nerve tests which will be able to confirm how much damage you have. It's been 2 and half years post op for me now and I am told I will not have any more recovery. I have learnt to live with it and do have bad days. You may be luckier and not have so much damage and recover. Good luck let me know how you get on.

Hi , Debbie yes it's early but early is crucial ,, I wore a brace in the hospital and broke two trying to get in and out of bed . My leg felt like it weight 50 lbs . Now at 4 weeks I am walking with the walker , cane minminal as I am afraid to fall the leg is getting stronger.but , does give out on me . I know the feeling your talking about . The leg isn't their when it goes . Mind I feel is stronger as I have recovery  It's numb from below the knee to the top of the thigh . It's stinging and theirs movement in it , the knee Feels like a hollow log feeling . It feels like it swells up and does get very hot feeling . I just started pt outside of the house and forced my self to drive to get their ., I am in pt all the way to oct 24 th . They have a pool to ., it's the tightness ,stinging,and hot feeling that bothers me. I feel bad you total did not recover as I know what you went thru .. I will stay in touch . 

Hi Debbie and Jackie, just reading your threads. I had a left THR in January 2008 and the surgeon damaged the femoral, obturator and saphenous nerves. I have been in severe pain since then, and had been taking 2700 mg Gabapentin daily. Unfortunately it was a metal-on-metal prosthesis and, after 8 years, it was causing problems. So five weeks ago I had a revision for a ceramic joint but I don’t know if I did the right thing, as I’m in more pain now from the nerve damage than I was before. I was told in 2008 to expect whatever improvement I had after 18 months to be the end result as it probably wouldn’t improve any more after that. And it didn’t! Sorry to be the conveyor of bad news.

I had the right hip replaced in 2012 and this isn’t too bad but, at 75, I don’t expect to be running the marathon any time now. Re my recent operation, on week 5 I’m still using one arm crutch although I ‘lost’ the other arm crutch on week 2. I seem to be unable to get enough purchase on my new leg at the knee and, like Debbie, I feel my leg will give way like it did in 2008 whilst going upstairs – and I broke my wrist falling down the stairs! As you get old life’s a drag – although it’s better than the alternative! 

I am going through femoral neuropathy in my both legs from June 28,2016 because of medicine overdose.

At first I was not able to stand up with my knees. There are numbness, stinging , and electrical shocks , swelling , pinching  and movement loss in the legs.

I could not stand up about 2 weeks after that I started to stand up and from then my improvement going on .Now I can walk without any support ,started to climb up and down stair little bit. I am going through medicine and physiotherapy .

My symptoms is remain same but increase movement.

Want to know is anyone here who is recovered  100% from Femoral Neuropathy and get back normal life ? Is Femoral Neuropathy is curable? I am very frustrated  …How long does it takes to recovered ?

hi Anne - I had femoral neuropathy in one leg after surgery.  I had numbness, stinging, electrical shocks and weakness(though not so bad as you did --as i was able to walk, just with weakness).  However, I could not even lift my leg--no quad muscle worked at all. I have had almost full recovery.  It took time and was slow but just hang in there.  I found that physical activity helped alot for strengthening and for piece of mind.  The recovery was slow but steady.  Now it has been 6 years which i know is alot of time to pass, but i still see improvement and only have slight numbness under my kneecap and pretty much full strength.  I know it is frustrating but just be patient.  email me back if you want more info. 

Hi barbara46231

 Thanks for the reply . By this time I get back most of the activities of legs and I can walk without any support , can strengthen legs, can up leg but the only problem going through that my legs are very weak specially my quadriceps muscles. My physiotherapist told me that my quadriceps muscle are started working and started regaining its strength but it will take some time.

Pray for me .

Thanks and regards.   

hi Anne - I am glad to hear that you are doing better and can walk now without support. I think you will continue to see improvement and things will get better.  It has taken time, but my muscle strength has come back. Just keep excercising, I am pretty sure that is the reason I improved as much as i did.  Patience is hard, but please do not give up.  I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. 

 

Hi Debbie ,

i have read about this issue in my case my hip was recalled by the manufacturer. Less than 6 months after THR. It has cause cobalt poisoning due to metal on metal smal peace in the modular neck in the femur. 

I am am going in for revision and there are two ways to remove the femur device from the femur bone. One is ti chizzle & it hammer it loose or they use a small saw and cut the bone the 3  sections away to remove the femur implant recalled. I know how risky this revision is and could end up with foot drop nerve problems in the leg and more back issues. I have severe back issues as it is. As much as the poor leg is manipulated to remove the explant and the rheeemed out for the new longer implant almost to the top of the knee joint. My knees have OA And with a torn meniscus. I will be in a cast for  three weeks in rehab for 6-8 weeks. All because a manufacturer REP paid a THR doc to use Their products &'the small piece causing cobalt poisoning was to make it easier for the doc to use the anterior approach and faster time in surgery. Therefore do more patients. 

I can only walk with a cane or stand long basically have lost my life style over ther past five years. My hub is unhappy cannot perform my wifely duties. I forget what it feels like. He doesn't hug me just ignore me mostly and doesn't help me do things around the house. In fact I have become his caretaker. After 35 years of marriage is this how we end?he had care for me for two THR and been so happy since this hip recall my whole world has changed.one doctors decision effected the rest of my life.

I had to wait 5 years living in pain before a revision surgeon would do the surgery. Their protocol was to have physical evidence on MRI to justify the surgery. I guess worrying about metal fretting in my tissue causing pseudo tumors and fluid in the lymph nodes or metal in my blood and pain wasn't enough to justify revision. They are going in bilateral approach and this will cause muscle damage to a already weaked glute and IT BAND.

Drop foot and nerve pain and infections I signed off on as the risk for this surgery.

its a sad state when docs are not held accountable for putting a THR device in that is metal on metal known since the 70's to cause many reactions even death. The original surgeon lied to me when I ask if there were any metal on metal parts in the implant.  My first THR doc 18 years ago told me a lot about the many complications in the designs and recalls with manufacturers

and there were many different THR parts in his office . I remember trying to match all the different types of systems together like a puzzle. They are really heavy. 4-6 lbs each side. I look at it as well at least thats 8-12 lbs I can blame on metal implants. 

I can sympathize with what this whole thread is pointing out and what everyone is suffering from.  Not many have the luxury to share negative experiences on THR  on this forum.

I know there are many things that can go wrong from revision surgery I am trying to think positive. Yet I have had 5 years to research everything from soup to nut on THR and revision surgery. 

Thanks for for taking time to read my story.

many Heeling blessings sent your way .🙏🏽

Hopexxxx

 

Hi  barbara46231

Can you give a rough idea how long does it take to regain muscle strength. Only for mental preparation .Thanks

Pray for me .

Hi  barbara46231

Can you give a rough idea how long does it take to regain muscle strength. Only for mental preparation .Thanks

Pray for me .

Hi  barbara46231

Can you give a rough idea how long does it take to regain muscle strength. Only for mental preparation .Thanks

Pray for me .

Hi  barbara46231

Can you give a rough idea how long does it take to regain muscle strength. Only for mental preparation .Thanks

Pray for me .

hi. It is hard to say. It sounds to me from your note that you are already gaining strength and have improved over the last 6 months.  I would say the improvement for me was steady but gradual over time.  I am very active and i believe that helped the strength to come back.  I don't believe that the doctors have a good handle on how long it takes as i had the docs say that nerves heal at a certain rate and that i shouldn't expect additional healing after a year/year and a half.  All i can tell you is that for me that was not the case and i have continued to grow stronger and stronger.  At this point in time most of my strength is back but i still believe i will continue to get better if i keep working at it so i am.  good luck and stay positive. 

How are you ?

I want to know something from you

Did  your quadriceps muscle get back to its normal form??

take care

hi. yes they did., you can't tell my quads from each other --they both are the same. i do encourage you to excercise.in the early months i also got something from my PT called muscle stimulater.  Ask your doctor or pt about it--i think it kept the muscle moving even when i couldnt move it. Careful if you use it to follow the directions so you don't hurt yourself.  best of luck. 

Gads - I can't beleive I just found this site and all of these popele that have very similar issues that I have. I am 13mo post-R THR. Had thigh pain since the night of the surgery, it has never gotton better, and is much worse than it was 4 mo post-op. I have had nerve conduction tests, and MRI and a bone scan. All say nothing is wrong, but I honestly think they are covering something up. I have moderate atrpohy in my R thigh, and severe pain when I walk - I walk with a pretty severe limp now. Last week, my leg suddenly started giving out completely. I have fallen 4 times. Yes I am active and still do my exercises and I move 1.5-3mi daily (I wear a tracker for proof). I ice my painful thigh, use 3 different TENS/IF units on it and take NSAIDS (docs won't prescribe real pain medicine anymore due to all the press about addicts - sheeeesh - so we have to suffer). Docs won't do anything to help me. I am in Boston MA (yes - Boston. Medical care here is NOT that great - docs refuse to admit errors or complications and just push you aside if you don't fit into their diagnosic checklists.) I am at a complete loss as to what I should do. I'm only 53. I had the original replacement b/c of avascular necrosis in the head of the femur. I had 5 months of PT and my therpist was at a complete loss as to what was going on with me - said she had not ever seen anyone with the issues I was having. Was unable to continue as I wasn't progressing - besides all that I was doing at the PT was the same stuff that I do at home. 

 

Hi barbara46231

 

How are you ?

Thanks for let me know about EMS.I start using EMS .Lets see what happen .By this time my legs are little bit stronger then before. I start handling stair and lower sitting arrangement. Only problem my legs are very weak but they are improving .

Take care 

Hi barbara46231

 

How are you ?

Thanks for let me know about EMS.I start using EMS .Lets see what happen .By this time my legs are little bit stronger then before. I start handling stair and lower sitting arrangement. Only problem my legs are very weak but they are improving .

Take care 

Hello thank you for sharing your story.  Like you I am awaiting a THR after a resurfacing op in 2006 has now failed.  I have metal on metal and metal in my blood plus a psedo tumour on my hip. it all sounds so scary and could mean I could be worse but it doesn't sound like I have a choice.  Is that the decision you have come to. xxx Sue

Hello .my father has just had a hip replacement but after 6 months cant walk and he cant use his left arm and his hands are trembling.The doctor has just sent him to a physiotherapist but i think it is nerve dsmage.Anyone had the same experience .thankyou

Yes Tajmahal, I too can't walk after having my hip replacement done.  I had the initial replacement done back 10 years ago.  Then I found out it was a metal on metal (on my own by the way!  no one notified me!) so I had it done again 3 years ago.  I have progressively gotten worse and now cannot walk because the leg doesn't comply with the brain signal to move.  I have done extensive research and have found that during hip implants there is a high probability of nerve damage.  There are 2 nerves that run through that area that could have been damaged during the operation.  There is a femoral nerve and a sciatic nerve.  You need to get him to a neurologist for examination immediately. Once nerves are damaged, they can regenerate but only if something is done quickly.  Good luck.  This is a horrible problem that the orthopedist want to ignore.  They should be sued when these implants cause this issue.