20 year old hip replacement fails today!
Posted , 11 users are following.
I had an uncemented total hip replacement 20 years ago that failed today. I had just potted up some seedlings and was bending down to clear up stuff when my hip gave way. It made a sound like there were granules crunching around in my hip joint combined with a lot of pain such that I could not stand up.
I dragged myself indoors and tried to relax and try to stand up but just could not weight bear. I called the emergency services as this was a Saturday and my surgery was closed.
Ambulance to hospital and after several hours was seen by a doctor who ordered X-rays. Orthopediac consultant brought in and he thought that the plastic between the two metal elements had partially failed. Sent home as they could do nothing until they knew the name etc of the prosthesis used and had considered a plan of action.
By this time the pain had eased and I. Was asked to try weight bearing then walking which went quite well so was discharged and so I had to order a taxi for the ten mile journey.
I live on my own but felt that I should give it a go. Almost as soon as I got though the door by hip became quite stiff and was making a horrible loud squeaking noise!
I wonder if anyone else had this happen. I understand this squeaking is often found in the more modern ceramic hip joints but mine is the older metal and plastic type.
1 like, 18 replies
RichardKen
Posted
I should just say that I have been supplied with Paracetamol and 30mg Codeine tablets to keep the pain under control.
This is a real setback as I'm waiting for revision surgery on my other foot to replace a total ankle replacement that has recently failed due to osteolysis!
Cheers Richard
hope4cure RichardKen
Posted
Oh thank goodness.you have pain meds. . Sorry this happened it's such a surprise when these things happen and can annoying especially since you have been waiting for the ankle surgery. Osteolysis is painful and once the hip cup is replaced a shorter recovery than THR then in a few months the ankle is next .
mic71403 RichardKen
Posted
Thanks for sharing...so scary as I imagine that my right hip,
done in 2002, would last for ever! Just had left hip done in 2015 and am 72 yo.
Just pottering in garden...so unexpected.
Sending love and light
Mic
X
RichardKen mic71403
Posted
Many thanks for your kind words and thoughts. I've always known that there is a limited life to replacement hip joints and I've enjoyed twenty years of pain free use so cannot complain!
It was however a huge shock to have it go when it did especially as there was no indication that it was in a delicate state. It is a bad situation to be in as I'm waiting for a total ankle replacement revision on my other side.
Cheers Richard
hope4cure RichardKen
Posted
That is my fear too. That is such a shock and very painful. I'm sorry you weren't able to get more help and go in for a new poly cup today.
I have one that is 18 years old and the cup is wearing out needs replacing. I just had revision on the other hip.so every six months go in for X-ray. Dr suggested ah well just pop in and replace the poly cup no biggie. YIKES GOR THE SURGEON MABE. on the X-ray it shows wear areas missing around the top of the cup where it fits in with the metal hip prosthesis.
Hope you have a better day tomorrow. Call a surgeon THR specialist and ask for appt. it needs to have the cup replaced. Try to stay within THR restrictions possibly preventing this from happening again before you can get appt.
take care and I can't emagine the frightening pain and strength it took for you to get thru this.
keep posting.
Hopexxx
lyn1951 RichardKen
Posted
Did the hospital even consider that you are on your own.
When Dr's open up again get immediatly on to your local Dr, he should have a report on file of your original hip replacement, if not your current GP, can you contact your old GP, he should have a discharge report.
Other alternative is to get onto the hospital that did your orginal hip replacement as see if they have a file or copies of that they will foward to you current hospital, do you have the name of the consultant to send information too, if not contact the hospital and find out the name of the consultant, and don't take no for an answer, be pushy if necessary, otherwise you could be thrown in the too hard basket.
Happened to us, too hard basket, not good enough.
I know through sister a senior nurse, hospitals do not throw out old files, they are in storage, and getting access can be hard.
She was able to prove with old family files that we have a rare family link with a form of cancer, older family members saying your mother and grandmother had the same.
Some of those files came close to going back 50 years. But they were found, amazing they even existed.
hazel14263 RichardKen
Posted
judith12644 RichardKen
Posted
RichardKen judith12644
Posted
My thanks to everyone who has taken the time to respond to this discussion
I will certainly be on the case first thing on Monday morning not only to my doctor's practice but to the secretary of the surgeon who carried out my hip surgery twenty years ago.
I moved to a different part of the UK some six months ago and my records have not been transferred even though I signed up with my new GP as soon as I had moved.
I have kept in contact with the surgeon sending him a Christmas card updating him on how my ankle is doing so hopefully this will help in getting the information needed.
Due to slight discomfort in the hip when walking more than hal a mile and my con ern over the clonking when getting up I had an X-ray about eighteen months ago and,all appeared to be normal so the collapse yesterday came as a big shock!
BTW several years I did ask the surgeon's secretary for details of my hip prostethis but she was not able to tell me and as it was just for interest I did not push it...but I certainly will now. What really concerns me is the thought that the bad squeaking is actually causing damage to the surface of the metal surfaces which in turn could damage a replacement poly insert.
At age 75 I am very apprehensive of the surgery especially as when I had my replacement ankle four years ago it seemed to trigger AF for which I'm on blood thinning medication for life.
Life can be a bummer at times but in my favour I'm in good physical condition, not overweight, hardly ever drink, don't smoke and eat decent food and am not diabetic.
I've been swimming over half a mile every other day recently as I've been trying to save my TAR and still stay fit. Perhaps this could have had a bearing on the hip failing even though it is load bearing.
OK that's it for the moment!
Cheers Richard
beth2509 RichardKen
Posted
OMG - my commiserations in bucket loads! My real hip did exactly the same thing this last summer, and I still recall the pain, so I know exactly how you feel! C**p. And also on my own so it is so scary at first.
?Your "parts" will be on record - in the UK there is a central record kept of the surgery and the parts used by everyone, which not only means they can look up your details when they need to, but also allows them to monitor the success and failure rates of specific types of parts. It won't have been open over the weekend, but they will be able to retrieve this on Monday.
?But I think maybe we should get together - this may be Karma
? I am waiting for my hip to totally recover (they say about 9 months for me as I have great bone density for my age) so that they can do a triple arthrodesis on the other foots ankle! I had avascular necrosis in the hip, but they couldn't operate immediately because I was still in a pot after my ankle "broke itself" due to the (previously unknown) ankle problems! So it feels like I am just going in circles too! If you put us togtehere we may make up one mobile person!
?Heh - you got to laugh
Rocketman_SG6UK RichardKen
Posted
That's an awful way for it to fail, but sounds similar to someone else I met who had his ceramic cup fail.
This shoud be a warning to everyone that we MUST ask what we have had put inside us. I requested a list from my surgeon, and was gived a full inventory down to the last titanium screw. Imagine what would happen if you were abroad and had to have a replacement, without knowing what make / model / size you had inside you?
Squeaking is not uncommon with Ceramin-on-Ceramic, I have heard it a couple of times.
Hope you get sorted out soon.
Graham
RichardKen Rocketman_SG6UK
Posted
Thanks Graham
The loud squeaking seems to be because the poly spacer is not doing it's job and know maybe the joint is metal on metal. my joint is pre ceramic.
Cheers Richard
brenda92532 RichardKen
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I remember the same thing happened to me after gardening but I had only had my new hip a few weeks. I'm careful not to do too much now. It's just over 12 months since the op but I hope I don't have any more problems, I love gardening.
my hip is the metal type ball and a cemented joint. Have they suggested a new hip replacement after 20 years.
All the best
Brenda C
RichardKen brenda92532
Posted
Dear Brenda
The surgeon I saw said that the prosthesis stem looked well located and secure, however the x-rays taken a couple of weeks ago showed that the joint had moved up due to the disintergrated poly cup. The ball is now riding on the metal that retains the poly. This has the danger of totally collapsing and all the time there is danger of the metal wear particles poisoning my body.
The surgeon proposes the following. Replace the poly and the metal retainer and as the ball that's attached to the stem will have been abraded due to metal on metal he will remove this with a smart tap ad bang on a replacement!
I've been able to provide him with details of my original prosthesis and he has already asked his secretary to obtain the different sizes parts he is expecting to need so that is all positive progress.
Selecting the best surgeon for the job is IMO an essential thing every patient should be prepared to do. It obviously does not guarantee success but it reduces the possibility of a bad outcome.
I hope that my rambling answers your question.
Cheers Richard
mic71403 RichardKen
Posted
Hi Richard
Think this sort of answers my concern too....is it worth getting good a second opinion from a surgeon too?
Lucky I'm in UK so no cost implications...Maybe a concern for you?
Certainly tho while treatment is free in the uk the physio aftercare varies enormously...and a good but pragmatic exercise regime is from the medical literature a key to happy after hip op days. I actually paid my PT at gym for weekly sessions and a cunning exercise plan!
Best
Mic
RichardKen mic71403
Posted
Thank you Mic.
I’m in the UK as detailed in my profile. I'm very happy with the surgeon I have picked as he stands head and shoulders above all others in the south of the UK. Last year he did over 200 primary hip replacements and importantly about 30 hip revisions. Added to this he was trained by the surgeon who did my original hip replacement In 1997 and he was very highly regarded plus I liked him.
Last time around I did not have any physio I just got on with lots of walking!
All the best
Richard