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Thr and nerve damage

Posted , 7 users are following.

vicki00016
vicki00016

I currently have over an inch length difference in my legs due to hip wearing away. My surgeon has said that sometimes the sciatic nerve can be damaged from being overstretched so he might break my femur to shorten it but I will gain some length when I get my new hip. There is also too much wear to my femur to put in the new hip so I will need a bone graft. Just wondered if anyone else has been in a similar situation. I have my pre-op early December!

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • chirpyhipster
    chirpyhipster vicki00016

    Posted

    i am 7 weeks post-op. There was 15mm difference in leg length which was remedied by the op. No mention of a bone graft being done
  • maggie93798
    maggie93798 vicki00016

    Posted

    No experience personally, but others have. It seems to be reasonably common
  • ian97093
    ian97093 vicki00016

    Posted

    Yes my first one was an inch shorter and I was unaware of it really...made no difference at all to my walking and now that the second one is done I have a matching pair of legs again, I will do a piece and post it soon about how it has all gone to date, too much to type all at once...Watch my space....Ian ++
  • Loral
    Loral vicki00016

    Posted

    I have a cousin who's hip replacement made her leg an inch longer, she is having her other hip done this month and he will correct it by making that one longer. Bottom line, she will be taller.
  • veronica58657
    veronica58657 vicki00016

    Posted

    I saw the surgeon who is to operate on me in 10 days time, I asked him if I would have one leg shorter than the other after the THR he said I would because I have no cartilidge left in my right hip, and when he replaces the hip he has to put it in the same place that it was when I was 30 (61 now) because that's where all the tendons and muscles are placed, if he did not put it in that place, and moved it downwards or upwards, I would get an awful ache when I walk long distances, which I intend to do after I recover fully. I asked if physio could lengthen the leg and he said 'no' but if and when I need the other hip replaced the lengths will then be equal.

    I think it's very honest of him to tell me this but I'm really disappointed that I may have to have the other hip done in the future, it's taken me ages to get around to accepting that this one has to be done, I'm so scared!

    Only 10 days to go though 3rd November, think of me please hippies.

    • Loral
      Loral veronica58657

      Posted

      Without cartilidge you would actually be shorter. They adjust the length with the tianium rod in the femur bone, not the ball and cup.
    • veronica58657
      veronica58657 Loral

      Posted

      I had no idea that that was how they adjusted the length, I'm wondering then why my surgeon has told me that I shall have one leg longer than the other.
    • renee01952
      renee01952 veronica58657

      Posted

      Hi Veronica, 

      My right leg was already shorter before I had the surgery due to the bone on bone situaton and the way I had been walking - 

      I had THR on left hip almost 7 weeks ago and was told by surgeon that lenghts are the same - but they are not yet ... I am still in the process of keeping my posture straight when walking - balancing etc.  Goodness ... 

      did he tell you how much difference there will be? It is very rare, I was told by PT, that people's legs are the same length anyway ...

      Hmmmm ....

      big wamr hug

      renee

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee, thanks for your reply and all the other replies I've had.

      My right leg is shorter due to surgery I had on my hip as a child. There is no cartilage there and the hip has worn away over the years. I've put the op off for years and now there isn't enough femur bone to put the new hip in so I'm having it built up with a bone graft. I feel like I'm walking with one high heel on!

      Hopefully my leg difference will be improved just hope I don't need to have my femur shorted to accommodate the nerves being stretched

      Vicki

    • vicki00016
      vicki00016 Loral

      Posted

      Thanks Loral, the plan is that my new hip will be back to where it is supposed to be as at present the hip and femur bone are badly worn down. The bone graft will help position everything in the correct place (hopefully!)
    • veronica58657
      veronica58657 renee01952

      Posted

      Thank you Renee,

      5cm pre op, at the moment but I don't know how much it will be post op!

      I'm beginning to realise that the only way they can ever be equal is to change the other one too.

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