1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Hip Dysplasia and Disorders

Hip dislocation after total hip replacement

Posted , 59 users are following.

hughesy
hughesy

Hi all,

I'm 20 years old and had my first total hip replacement in December 2012 after having problems with my left hip, since birth.

I had a great 5 months with my new ceramic hip and was able to do so much more than I was ever able to pre-op.

However, on May 2 2013, my replacement hip dislocated - while I was with my physiotherapist. I was taken to hospital where my hip was manipulated into place under a general anesthetic. The surgeon there told me that my hip was a little unstable in one position but to go about my day-to-day business as normal and have a follow up appointment with my own consultant who carried out the procedure. Just shy of a fortnight later, I was due to see my consultant at his clinic, as I was putting on my shoes, my replacement hip dislocated again. Again, I was rushed to hospital where my hip was manipulated back into place under a general anesthetic, this time by my own consultant. Since then, it has been decided I require further surgery, which I will undergo next week. Not me, nor my surgeon knows what the procedure will entail as my x-rays look fine but my hip feels unstable.

I am absolutely devastated and wondered if there is anyone out there who has gone through the same thing or can give me an indication into what may be done and recovery times?

Thanks

Emma

4 likes, 107 replies

107 Replies

Prev Next
  • alistair25897
    alistair25897 hughesy

    Posted

    I had a thr on july 17 all going well untill 18 sept when it dislocated . Taken to hospital where i had it put backmin I was kept in over night as a precausion and discharged no pain so continued as before.On the 11th october it dislocated again same thing taken in but let home afterwards no pain continued as before with no advice on what to do. It dislocated the following day same again admitted put back in and discharged this time the pain was terrible and i could not walk except with crutches it is nearly a month later and am still in pain. I am scared to do anything i have been of work for nearly 5 months as my job can be very physical. I saw my consultant last week and he wants me to come in for corrective surgery which will be another 6 months off.I really dont know what to do I could take early retirement but i really enjoy my work its starting to get me down now as i am unable to do any of my hobbies.
    • cam57475
      cam57475 alistair25897

      Posted

      Alistair-what a cool name.  I had my hip done in seatrle for work related reasons. I was promised retrainining with pepsi cola.  I was given light duty for 18 months and fired.  I hope your employer stands behind you. Pepsi cola sure doesnt.  I am amazed your hip dislocated so soon.  I wasnt able to use mine for three months. Then intense ohysical therapy.  I sure hope your new hip stays intact.  Iw ill keep you abreast of my situation.  Sounds like they totally screwed up alistair. Good luck-cameron
    • flossy48
      flossy48 alistair25897

      Posted

      I am very sorry to hear your hip has dislocated so frequently since you had it done.  I had a 'reconstruction' done in May and so far so very good.  The surgeon seemed to have tied me up like a kipper!  I have just been incredibly careful when turning around, doing housework, work and shopping to make sure that I only put one foot in front of the other and don't do any turning or twisting.  Go swimming three times a week doing 700m each time which is very good, though only crawl, not allowed to do breast stroke.  Also do pilates once a week which is very good for core muscles and they help with holding in the hip.  Suggest you try these and do have the reconstruction on your hip, it should work and provided you do all the exercises as instructed and shown in the booklet for at least three months you should be ok.  I have started doing a bit of gardening which is my main hobby that requires bending and stretching and so far so good.  Good luck and hope it will all work out for you.  I do appreciate that it is terrifying to do anything just in case, but you can't let it rule your world, just take care.
    • denise85944
      denise85944 flossy48

      Posted

      Hi I had two hip replacements this year, the second was 2 months ago and it has slipped twice and just dislocated yesterday of course I am afraid to do anything as it was pretty horrible and I was not able to get help for a little bit. What was the corrective surgery like?
  • angie6792
    angie6792 hughesy

    Posted

    Hi All!

    I'm a 48 y.o. female who had a 25 year career as a Registered Nurse prior to my own medical crises. With the onset of osteoporosis around age 35, I fractured my femur at 38, resulting in 3 surgeries, avascular necrosis, and, ultimately, a total hip replacement at 41.(With permanent nerve damage.)

    6 days post-op the hip dislocated and they were unable to reduce it without returning to the O.R. That was in July of 2008. It remained intact until Feb 10. Then Feb 20, March 10, March 18, March 22, March 25, and March 28. Yes - it is excruciating each time; and it is cumulative as well. I thought childbirth was hard until I had my hip dislocate 3 times in one week.

    I am currently wearing a brace, trying not to sneeze, and awaiting surgery to get the cup portion of my prosthetic replaced. Thank God my husband is a Paramedic and my 22 y.o. daughter is in school for physical therapy!

    • denise85944
      denise85944 angie6792

      Posted

      Did you have to go to the hospital each time to have if put back? I am so sorry it happened so often. I had 2 hip replacements last yr. one of mine dislocated 

      . I now live in fear but try to do stationary bike to strengthen it.

      good luck

  • jp66967
    jp66967 hughesy

    Posted

    Hello Angie -

    "prosthetic dislocation of the hip" is not, in itself, a diagnosis. It is essential to know the precise reason for the dislocation - there are a number of specific reasons which must be clarified if the appropriate treatment is to succeed. In your case the nerve damage (which you do not specify) might be a causative factor. You need, and deserve, a precise diagnosis as to why the dislocations occur.

  • pollyLB
    pollyLB hughesy

    Posted

    Hello, I had a THR in march 2011 due to arthritis, I was 53 at the time and was told it would give me a better quality of life. It dislocated the very next day after surgery while the physios were getting me out of bed, nobody believed me and couldnt understand why i was complaining of pain, finally after 3 days they sent me for an xray which confirmed a dislocation which they then reduced in theatre under general anesthetic. This time every thing went well, recovery was good and although it always felt a bit weak I was getting on with my life then in Dec 2013 I was bending for my shoes when it dislocated, I was taken to A+E where it was put back in place, nobody had an answer as to why it would happen after such a long time but they thought it was a one off. I had 2 weeks off work to take it easy then back to normal. Nine months later in Sept '14 it dislocated again while sitting down in bath, again got taken to A+E where it was reduced, this time 6 wks off work and no driving for 4 weeks then be very careful and was given physio to do. Three months later in Dec '14 it dislocated again while picking up a dropped towel, again went to A+E and this time the consultant talked for the first time of revision surgery, I've had every kind of scan, xray and ultra sound possible but they can't find a reason for the re-occurring dislocations, so the surgeon said until I'm in theatre he's not sure what he will do to stop it from happening, so in Feb I agreed to have revision surgery and went on the waiting list. I had to have another 6 weeks off work and 4 weeks of no driving. Then 2 weeks ago it dislocated again, this time I was taking my coat off inside my car, whist stationary I hassen to add, this time they couldnt reduce it in A+E so I had to go into theatre under general anesthtic and stay in hospital 2 nights, I was discharged with a warning to be very careful, use crutches and wear a brace to stop me from doing what I shouldnt, off work again, this time I dont know how long for, I think it may be until I have surgery which could be another 2 months yet. My work are very good and realise this is a genuine problem but I do worry about having so much time off !! Having a follow up appointment next week so will be interesting to see if they will bring my surgery forward at all due to having 3 dislocations in 6 months. I live on my own and am very independant so this is very frustrating having to ask for lifts and help all the time. My surgery was through the side of my thigh and I have quite a long scar which is neat but the area around it is lumpy, but my mother has had 2 THR and her scars are very neat and on her bum cheeks and never had any problems at all.  
  • jp66967
    jp66967 hughesy

    Posted

    Sadly it should not be called a hip "replacement" but rather a hip "substitute". A "THR" can never, and does never, replace the anatomical hip.

    You must demand an explanation for the dislocation, and demand further investigation until you get an exact diagnosis as to why you are dislocating. To "look and see" at surgery is amateurism and unacceptable (at least to me) because a specific curative path must be planned in advance, and the appropriate replacement prosthesis or supplementary prosthesis must be made available, and in theatre, in advance

    • clarice_76451
      clarice_76451 jp66967

      Posted

      I had a THR on my right hip 6/8/15. I had learned about the anterior hip replacement surgery from a friend who also had the same surgery by the same surgeon one month before me. My friend and I were both told by our surgeon before leaving the hospital that we had "no restrictions" which surprised me after having major back surgery in 2011 and had a list of restrictions following that surgery. On 6/20/15, I had my husband put a hospital sock on my right foot due to swelling near my right ankle, after which I bent forward and down to straighten the sock on the heal and dislocated my hip. The pain and muscle spasms were so terrible and we called 911 and was taken to the ER where I was in such terrible pain for what seemed like an hour while I had a board shoved under my back to be x-rayed. The hospital computers were down and they could not get my list of medications in order to decide what to give me for pain. Finally, a orthopedic ER doctor and anesthesiologist came in & I was put under while they reset my hip into its socket. I emailed my surgeon but later learned he was out of the office for the week. Then 8 days later, my hip dislocated again when I put my right foot up on a chair and leaned forward to cut my toenails on my right foot. When I finally heard back from my surgeon, he said that I had done the same type of motion both times and I should not do that again. He said he had studied my x-rays and found that my pelvis was in an odd position as a result of my prior back surgery and that is what caused my hip to dislocate and that if it happened a 3rd time he would have to go back in to lengthen my hip socket. I have been very careful since then and it has not happened again. The last time I saw him on 8/20/15, my x-ray showed that my hip capsule was healing fine and he advised me to be very careful for the rest of this year. But my problem now is that my thigh muscles, primarily in my right thigh, but also in both hips and my low back have been very stiff and sore. After lying in bed too long I can hardly get up and then must massage my thigh muscles before I can stand up and usually must use my cane or walker until they loosen up. I have had 4 weekly physical therapy treatments with massage and laser treatments which helped a little for a couple days but then the pain comes right back. I am doing the prescribed PT exercises without any lasting results. To make matters worse, I also have fibromyalgia. I have also seen a rheumatologist thinking that I may have rheumatoid arthritis but was told I did not have RA. She felt my pain was all a result of the hip dislocations even though my surgeon says that the pain from the dislocations only lasts a few weeks. The rheumatologist felt I should be taking at least 60 mg of Cymbalta for the fibromyalga and was only taking 20 mg so now am taking 40 mg and will work up to 60 mg in another week or so. I also take Etodolac 3 times/day for pain but my doctor wants me to switch to Meloxicam for pain which I would only take once each morning. I am waiting to see if the 60 mg dose of Cymbalta plus Etodolac will help control my pain as I do not want to get back on narcotics again.  
    • jp66967
      jp66967 clarice_76451

      Posted

      You might discuss using a stationary bicycle with you physiotherapist, to strengthen those muscles which, by now, will have weakened considerably.

      A supine bicycle might be preferable in order to not bend the hip excessively.

  • MilanNS
    MilanNS hughesy

    Posted

    Hi all,

    I am 55, and I had both hips replaced, right one on 3rd of December 2014 and left on 18th of February 2015. Right one (Thanks God!) is working fine, but with left one I have problems. First time dislocation just before May 1st but I had manipulated in place by myself, after door hit me to my leg. After that this "type of dislocation" happened several times during next month and I managed it by myself with more or less pain. A month ago it happened again, but this time I felt down and dislocate it totaly with my foot facing out of my body to the left, so I was taken to ER and they put me asleep to relocate it and put my ancle in gypsum to awoid turning my leg and it lasted for 14 days, after that I finaly got my surgeon permission to sleep with gypsum and to move with croutches during the day and it lasts for 14 days. X-ray is great like in a medical books. Last week I went to see my surgeon (the gypsym is taken away) and he told me to use stick while walking and to be extremly careful for next 6 weeks , BUT yesterday I had my dislocation again, I managed to put it back in place with a "click" sound.

    Today I went  to talk with my sport MD to ask what muscules I shoud strengthen to avoid dislocation again. He was not sure what to do but he said to me to excercise glutes muscule for the beginning. to avoid pain which I hed near groing area.

    I don't know if this "partialy dislocations" which I managed to handle had happened to anybody and how it should be handled. and what should we do to avoid this dislocation nighmmare in our everydaylife.

    If this helps anybody great. Anyway good luck to all of you.

    Milan

  • Afaqxee
    Afaqxee hughesy

    Posted

    i m 27 years old and recently i fell while playing a cricket match and got  afracture and dislocation of hip joint.its been 16 days since i fell.the first dwhom i met he told he u ll under go a surgery.i said no i wont go for surgery ut i told him just to relocate my joint on its origional  position  he did so but told me it ll be dislocate again.then in the next morning i met another surgeon who was quite experienced he took my x-ray again and somehow moved my leg then told me u no need any further thing to do just tk complete rest for a month.so i have been doing that i just got a recent xray and that was also ok.now i start walk to washroom with sticks all by myself.and i hope that with in a month i ll be on my feet completely In sha Allah.

    so most of you guys have this problem. can you guys please help me that how much  time will it take to completely heal up. when i ll be able to run and able to start my cricket again. will my joint be settled down with out surgery. and  what precautionary measures should i have to adopt. plz answer someone.

  • jp66967
    jp66967 hughesy

    Posted

    You might discuss the use of a stationary bicycle with your physiotherapist, to strengthen those muscles which, by now, will have weakened. A supine bicycle might be preferable, since you will not want to bend your hip excessively.
  • clarice_76451
    clarice_76451 hughesy

    Posted

    I am considering using a stationary bicycle to strenghten my muscles but my surgeon wanted me to take it easy until Jan, 2016. In the meantime, I had x-rays on my low because it has been very painful. My x-rays were referred to a new sports medicine doctor who noticed that there is possibly a problem with my L3 disc in my lower back. It appears to be herniated and hitting a nerve that controls my muscles. Tomorrow I will have more X-rays and then have an appt for a consultation on 12/8. I had major back surgery in 2013 for a degenerative disc (L4) and a herniated disc (L5) causing sciatic pain down my right leg. I do not look forward to another back surgery if necessary but am glad to know the cause of my pain. Possibly epidural steroid injections will relieve the pain, which I have had for the last 5 months. My chiropractor has been doing muscle stimulation, massage and active release therapy (ART) twice a week for the past month on my right thigh which has really loosened the muscles since my 2 hip dislocations on 6/20 and 6/28 following my anterior hip replacement surgery on 6/8/15. However, recently my left thigh muscles have become tight and painful. I saw my physical therapist last week for more laser treatments on my right thigh muscles and she is the one who felt the pain in my left thigh muscles was probably coming from my back. I had previously requested back x-rays from my primary doctor and immediately had them taken. Now I will go for two more X-rays in different positions and see the sports medicine doctor on 12/8. I am relieved to learn that this is the possible cause.
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.