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Hip Replacement - muscle not re-attached

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helen31675
helen31675

Had a total hip replacement done in Jan 2014 - not sure whether its a fault of the surgery or my body not doing what it should have but the muscle that was cut through has not re-attached at all.  As a result of this I struggle to walk very far as there is no muscle strength to rely on which means I am worse off than before the surgery.  I have worked really hard to strenthen my core muscles to compensate but it hasn't helped.  Has anyone else had the same problem?

4 likes, 70 replies

70 Replies

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  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK helen31675

    Posted

    That sounds like a surgical problem, was the muscle not sewn up or did it tear?

    I think I'd be straight back onto the hospital & consultant with that one.

    Graham - 🚀💃

    • helen31675
      helen31675 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I have not been given a definitive answer from the hospital, they keep skirting around it.  Going to go back and fight for the right information so I can decide what to do.  It takes someone elses comments to help me feel that I have a right to take this further - thank you x
    • helen31675
      helen31675 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Must admit that is something that has crossed my mind - would be really interested on what has happened to you and how things are going x

       

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK helen31675

      Posted

      You can read my blog on my website - address is in my personal info

      https://patient.info/forums/profiles/rocketman-sg6uk-907025

      Basically, had operation end of october, everything fine, then called back 4 weeks later to be told the ceramic insert in the metal acetabular shell (hip socket) was not in the right place.  In fact, the way the consultant told me, it felt like it was my fault - but he put it in, not me.

      I had a second surgery to correct it 10 weeks later, but my surgeon, plus another surgeon, failed to move it - it is stuck firmly.

      Now I'm recovering again, and hoping that it never wears out, breaks or needs revision.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • pingu811
      pingu811 helen31675

      Posted

      Hi, could you tell me if you've made any progress re muscle atrophy after hip surgery. I have a similar problem. My surgeon told me that the muscle is there and could not understand why it does not work. I was also told that some times after a traumatic surgery the mind-muscle connection is lost... I have tried everything but have not been succesful. Perhaps I should get another ex-ray to see if the muscle was actually re-attached?

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK pingu811

      Posted

      pingu811, x-rays are excellent for info about bones and implants, but they can't tell you anything about muscles and their attachments to bones.

      For that you need a MRI (or a MARS MRI, if the area is near an implant) or a diagnostic musculo-skeletal ultrasound.

      Keep on pushing for proper diagnosis. I had to go for a second opinion after my original THR surgeon was unable to diagnose my torn gluteal tendons. Neither the OS nor two radiologists were able to see my torn tendons on the MARS MRI. Fortunately, my second opinion surgeon saw it.

  • renee01952
    renee01952 helen31675

    Posted

    Hi Helen, 

    That sounds terrible - 

    I thought that muscles, tendons etc that were severed for the surgery were "repaired" - 

    i read in your profile that you had this problem almost right away and was looking for a second opinion ... did you get a second opinion?

    Are you in any pain? 

    Please let us know, okay 

    big warm hug

    renee

     

    • helen31675
      helen31675 renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee,  We have been back to the hospital so many times and keep being sent away for more Physiotherapy, you name it, I have tried it,  I am so frustrated at being worse off after surgery - I now have a new consultant so am going to try to get some straight answers.  The thought of being like this forever is extremely frustrating.  I have some gorgeous freinds who are far worse off than me and life has really been hard for them so I have brushed this away thinking I should be grateful that I can walk a little way but thinking after two years I should be fighting this a bit more.  I am in constant pain, I don;t think I can really remember what pain free feels like.  Thank you for the hug, it means a lot people replying xx

       

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK renee01952

      Posted

      Renee, the surgeons do repair whatever they cut during surgery. The problem is that sometimes the cut tissues don't heal even though they have been stitched together, for whatever reason. Or they start to heal and then tear again. I was told that sometimes older people's tissues don't heal as well. Or possibly something else in the hip prevents the tissues from healing by interfering mechanically. Or, sometimes, they tear after healing.

      My original surgeon repaired the cuts in mine, but they never healed. Regardless of the reason, when there is disability and pain from torn tendons/muscles, an orthopedist should be able to diagnose that, both from what the muscles cannot do and what tests results say. Then, if the tears don't heal on their own and the the surgeon is unable to do the repair, he should be able to refer to a surgeon who can.

    • renee01952
      renee01952 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hi Annie, 

      Didn't think about that , so thank you for reminding me - 

      Big warm embrace

      renee

       

  • AnnieK
    AnnieK helen31675

    Edited

    You are not alone, Helen, I am in the same situation as you, and worse off than before. My THR was in July 2015 and I have never been able to walk without a severe limp, cannot balance on my surgical leg without enormous hip drop, and have pain and stiffness throughout my hip/thigh area. I keep reading posts from more and more people with this problem. 

    My original surgeon kept telling me I had "weakness" and that I should do more physical therapy to strengthen it (whatever it was) and that I should take oral steroids. I had already had 10 in-home PT sessions and 22 out-patient sessions. If it were going to heal (or gotten stronger), it would have already done so after 4 months. I didn't want to take steroids, as all that does is mask the pain and cause you to keep re-injuring it, if it hasn't healed on its own.

    I did lots of research about which muscles are used to hold the hip steady while walking, and a wonderful person from this forum posted about her similar problem, and I deduced that I most likely had tears in my gluteus medius/minimus tendons/muscles (and possibly others) that either never healed after they were cut for surgery (most likely) or that were injured after surgery (not likely as all I do is walk, no exercises). My surgeon didn't agree, said that there was probably a mild strain, not serious tears. He ordered an MRI at my urging and his reading of the MRI confirmed his belief. He said no other scan could tell anything, and that no surgery could be done on torn gluteals.

    At this point I went for a second opinion to a different practice. I discovered a surgeon who does gluteal tendon repairs (has pioneered techniques) and joint replacements and was close to my home (miracle!). He ordered a new MRI, which DID show the tendon tears, and he will do surgery to repair them. He doesn't know why they did not heal after surgery, or if there is something in my hip that keeps them from healing. 

    I am currently waiting to have tests to see if there is also infection around my replacement, as the doctor wants to make sure he knows as much as possible about what is going on in my thigh/hip before he opens me up.

    I have seen posts from a number of people on this forum and another one, too, with the same issue. Some doctors just don't know what the problem is. I suggest that you keep questioning and go for that second opinion from a doctor in a different practice. This is not brain surgery, after all. Haven't the functions of all of the leg/thigh muscles and tendons been known for a very long time? Why don't all doctors know that all parts of the body can be injured, and subsequently repaired? Why would they just let us go on suffering with pain and disability when there are surgeries to fix these problems? You can bet that a professional athlete would get immediate attention to get him back into good health. Why not us regular people, too?

    Sorry for the ranting, but this is starting to get to me, after reading about so many people like us. Some of these orthopedists have big holes in their knowledge about basic functions of muscles and tendons, and about how to repair the problems. If they don't know, they should say that they don't know, and refer you to someone who CAN help you. I think this is just wrong and is a scandal. So there!

    Anyway, I wish you the best in getting a physician who can help you properly. Keep posting, Helen. I hope you and I, and all the others, will be able to get the treatment we need and become pain-free and mobile again.

    • helen31675
      helen31675 AnnieK

      Edited

      Thank you so much for your response Annie.  I have had the test to check for any infection and they came back negative, but they have told me after the MRI scan that the muscle is not attached.  They said that further surgery may help but they couldn't promise good results from that.  I don't want to go down that route unless the odds are really high as I already feel far worse off I don;t want to end up in the wheelchair - I already have to use one if we go on a long shopping trip etc...   I just wonder whether we should be pursuing things further with someone else like you have suggested.  I have had so much Physiotherapy - and after 2 years there is surely going to be no more improvement.     I feel we are being blindsided as they are all so careful not to admit that they have possibly made a mistake.  x

       

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK helen31675

      Posted

      Helen, so you know your muscle isn't attached, and that further surgery may help. I know that the odds of the tendon/muscle repair that I am going to have have about an 80% success rate. Perhaps my surgeon's rate is better, I will ask. But if I don't have the surgery, I am 100% guaranteed that I will always have a limp and this pain. I don't want to be using a crutch and walker for the rest of my life. I figure the surgery can't make it worse, especially in the hands of this expert, pioneering surgeon who is experienced with this kind of repair.

      Possibly you aren't being given the option of having the surgey, and that would be sad if that's the case. You should be given the opportunity to thoroughly explore the advantages and disadvantages and get the surgery if you want and need it. 

      Best wishes to you!

       

    • helen31675
      helen31675 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hi Annie,  I am like you 100% guaranteed that I will always have a limp and pain - my consultant insisted I go down the route of physio which I understood as he didn;t think the odds of making me any better were very high.  I am not sure I want to go down the surgey route until the percentage was really really high, so scared that it would make me worse but it is not being offered at the moment anyway - I have been like this for over 2 years - think all these responses just prove that I must go back and start being a lot more pushy to get some answers...  Thank you for your help and advice x

       

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK helen31675

      Posted

      You are more than welcome, Helen! In an ideal world, we would all have available to us those physicians, diagnoses and treatments that would repair the things that cause us pain and disability in a timely manner. Wish that were the case. Good luck in your quest!
    • pingu811
      pingu811 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hello Annie,

      I read your message with great interest. Have you been to the surgeon who does gluteal tendon repair. Was it succesfull? Can you name the surgeon, clinic and location? 

      My hip replacement was 7 years ago and I lost cerain mobilities... I would love to have them restored.

    • tracy04987
      tracy04987 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hi Annie,

          You wrote this 2 years ago. How are you doing now?

           I was just told I may have a muscle not attaching after THR. It was done 9 weeks ago. I have been told to go back to the crutch and no cane. Also no PT for two weeks. 

       

      Tracy

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK tracy04987

      Posted

      Tracy, it is now almost 17 months post-op from the gluteal tendon repair. I am doing well, thank you! That leg has never been as strong as it was in its prime, nor is it as strong as the other one. But it functions pretty well, and I have minimal pain. Do you know which muscle it is that they think is not attached after the THR? Can you balance on the affected leg alone? Do you limp and have pain?

      For more information, here is my recovery thread on Patient: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/having-gluteus-medius-repair-surgery-possible-hip-revision-tomorrow--543982

    • lori25353
      lori25353 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hi Annie. I have a question for you?  I’m hoping you can answer. I hav the same problem. It’s been going on for almost 2 months. My surgeon gave me a cortisone shot. It helped with that agonizing pain.  But since then I have great pain in my left shoulder and it’s starting in my right.  I had a THR in my right hip July of last year.  I can’t walk more then 5 min on my treadmill with out pain and my leg also gets s stabbing pain sometimes when I walk and it gives out.  Could all these be from the tendon being torn?  I hurt it when making my bed and dr said the tendon (fascia) didn’t heal.  Has anyone had these problems occur?  
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK lori25353

      Posted

      Lori, do you mean that your surgeon has diagnosed you with torn gluteal tendon(s)? Certainly a torn gluteus medius, minimus or Maximus can cause hip/buttock pain and cause a leg to give out. I was unable to balance alone even for a second on the surgical leg without it giving out, hence my bad limp. My tears did not heal on their own and needed surgical repair.

      I don't see how shoulder pain could be associated with gluteal tendon injuries. You need an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan from an orthopedic surgeon to be sure. May you get what you need!

    • margaret55518
      margaret55518 AnnieK

      Posted

      Hello all,

      As i am hopefully reading your posts, and having the same issues, glueteal tear post surgical, i am curious about your age and overall health.

      I am 71 with parkinsons. I do fairly well with a lift in my shoe, but the shoes come off and there is the limp and shortness.

      My dr doesnt recommend surgical re attachment due to my age and parkinsons.

      Any one else have this sort of situation?

      Love to hear.

      Margaret Conant

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