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finally, an answer

Posted , 5 users are following.

susanbaci
susanbaci

Hello, again, fellow hipsters.

So as to a followup to my journey,  1 year 3 months of complaints of feeling tightness, tourniquet feeling in my thigh, pinching sensation in my groin upon movement and discomfort when raising my knee up from standing or sitting or lying down from my groin, down my thig,  all the way to my kneecap,   I finally insisted that my surgeon look at the soft tissues to see if he sees anything wrong because I should be feeling more mobility and laxity in my thigh and knee on movement after hip replacement and I am always conscious of the extreme tightness and discomfort.

And it seems there are finally some answers  to my  complaints and that is that on MRI on the surgical side they found that my cup is impinging on the anterior capsule.  

I hardly want to do a revision to reposition the cup.  My surgeon is downplaying this saying he's not too worried about it but he's not feeling the constant discomfort on mobility that I am living with.  So I'm thinking that this probably explains why I have been feeling discomfort from the getgo.  

Now the problem is I need to have hip replacement on the other side really soon.  This time, I'm thinking maybe anterior approach may be better with a better and shorter recovery.  

I can't get a second opinion from anyone on  this impingement  or if anyone thinks this is going to be an even bigger problem in the long run that will cause premature wear on the device if it's rubbing wrong.  They all say,  "Ask your surgeon and see what he says,"  instead of giving me an objective opinion.  

But certainly I do have to live with a lot of discomfort in many of my movements but not sure if it's enough discomfort to do it all over again.

I think I have to address the other side first because that hip has become really problematic.   I knew they used a long stem the first go round.  Maybe I'd feel better if the doctor used a shorter stem with the anterior approach but my surgeon doesn't think shorter stems last as long in the long run, cause fracturing and nerve problems that the posterior approach doesn't present.

All I know is I have to make a decision soon because the other side is problematic now and feeling so confused.  

Has anyone ever heard of impingement after hip replacement?

Mine is the cup impinging on the anterior capsule.  My surgeon says this kind of impingement is not the problematic kind of impingement.  But he doesn't seem to grasp how it affects me in day to day living and movement.

Appreciate, once again, any thoughts on this.

Best regards to all my fellow hipsters.

Hugs to all for all the support.

Susanrolleyes

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • anniepaint
    anniepaint susanbaci

    Posted

    Have you asked about arthroscopy? I just found this article, it might be useful https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23884462

    best wishes

    Ann

    • susanbaci
      susanbaci anniepaint

      Posted

      Thank you for that interesting article.  I will be sure to share that info with my surgeon to see what he thinks.

         Hope you are feeling well

         Best Regards, 

                            -S

  • jakki63372
    jakki63372 susanbaci

    Posted

    I am only 4 weeks post anterior but having same symptoms. Was your MRI contrast? Did you try ultrasound imaging? Also I have some clunking. Hope they offer you a reasonable solution though none will feel a good choice. Hang in there, information is progress.
    • susanbaci
      susanbaci jakki63372

      Posted

      Thank you Jakki.  My MRI was without contrast.  Wonder why they didn't think they needed contrast to see more.  Have not tried ultrasound imaging?  Do you know if that shows anything?  I guess information is progress but, nonetheless, I'm very discouraged since I have to set up something again for the other side.  I'm wondering if new hands in the mix may give me the chance for a better outcome on the other side.  Can't understand why my cup would impinge and if it was set properly.  Don't think I'll ever know.  Just hope for a better outcome next time around.

      Hope you feel better yourself.  

  • renee01952
    renee01952 susanbaci

    Posted

    hi susan, 

    I am so sorry to hear this ... 

    There won't be another surgeon who will be able to answer your question regarding the outcome of revision surgery ... it can go either way, right ?

    Does your surgeon have some kind of pain management advice? Injections maybe? 

    I would hate to be left in limbo ... 

    Will you have the same surgeon to perform surgery on the other hip?  Do you have a surgery date?

    Do you like and trust your surgeon?  

    I think it would be important to me to trust him with my other hip but not sure if I would based on the way he sort of downplays the impingement ...

    will he do the anterior approach -

    I am not helping, am I ...

    please keep us posted --

    Trust and have faith that the right answer will come -

    big warm hug

    renee

     

     

    • susanbaci
      susanbaci renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee.

      Thanks for always coming to everyone's rescue.  

      Your thoughts are always so helpful to all of us here.

      Simply put, I was just hoping another surgeon could give me  some input on  if they've ever seen this type of impingement  before, in general, and what kind of outcome these types of things have and if the impingement is what's causing my discomfort.

      I guess I'll have to discuss if injections could be of any relief.

      But other surgeons just won't comment on someone else's surgery.

      It seems logical.

       As to what to do with using the same surgeon on the other side,  you put it on point.

      Although my surgeon has a lot of good credentials, it's hard to have the confidence in him for another go round if the first didn't work out so well.  I want to believe in him but it's difficult.

      Maybe he'll be more careful with me the next time around but maybe I'm increasing my chances of having a similar problem on the other side by not trying new hands.

      My surgeon doesn't do the anterior approach at all.   He doesn't think the anterior approach has a proven track record because he says, there's no telling how long those devices last because the stem is shorter than what's used in posterior approach.  He thinks the smaller incision means you don't get in there and see as well what a surgeon is doing to fit one properly.    He thinks there are many more incidences of fracture, nerve injury and more complications than what I'm experiencing.  So in a nutshell he's against the anterior approach on all levels.  He says he has to do a lot of do-overs with problems from anterior surgery.  And he's supposed to be the revision king at a top NYC hospital.

      Doctors who do the anterior approach at the same hospital  say I am a candidate but I have a feeling after one more consultation to go over my recent MRI and needing to book another surgery, depending on his final comments and how comfortable he makes me feel, I will decide after and after I get, perhaps, one other opinion from a different surgeon on how to proceed.

      Then I guess, I'll have to wing it and hope for the best.   Wish me luck.

      Thanks for always being there, Renee.rolleyes

      And, you did help.  Because I am having trouble with his downplay of this impingment and how it has affected the outcome, so far, of my 

    • susanbaci
      susanbaci

      Posted

      ...recovery...

                         Hugs.....

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