Hi all am new to this site and am desperate to have communication with anyone who has had a similar operation. I had undiagnosed osteomyelitis as a baby and my hip was fused at about 1 years old. After spending nearly entire childhood on and off in hospital for long periods of time with full plaster casts up to underarms and frames, finally at the age of 12 last operation was done. I have just turned 52 and whilst up till the the last 3 years have managed pretty well. Married had 3 children and worked. Often got extra tired, but have always tried to keep up with others.
In the last 3 years things have been VERY difficult and scary. Endless tests,lack of understanding and neurological type problems, spine issues and still more tests and so far no resolution. I am pretty sure all the problems stem from having a long standing fused hip and it has taken it's toll on the rest of my body, especially spine.
I feel so alone with my problem because I have NEVER met or communicated with anyone who has a fused hip. I have gone on various sites, googled endlessly, but cannot find a single person who has same problem. It would be such a comfort to communicate with someone else with same situation or some support group. Even the medical professionals seem to lack understanding on fused hip and I feel like an alien because of this. So PLEASE, if you have a fused hip,especially one that has lasted this long I would love to here from you and hopefully we can change things for ourselves and others for the better.
I had my left ankle fused at the age of 11 and have been in pain with it ever since. Mike
Hi all, particularly debra57. I am 62 with 46 years experience of this rare condition. I could have written your words, so ask what you will.
Hi I have had an arthrodesis hip for 30 years which has now snapped and being removed I had a knee replacement 3 years ago has any one had a pin removed and what is recovery time thanks
Hi I have had an arthrodesis hip for 30 years which has now snapped and being removed I had a knee replacement 3 years ago has any one had a pin removed and what is recovery time thanks
Hi sounds like mine was identical as I was also in cast and have had back problems as well
Hi Debra,
I had a hip arthrodesis done in 1973 because I had a dislocated hip from childhood.
It was the only solution at the time but as you know over time there are so many problems related to it, problems too numerous to go into especially the crippeling back pain due to having to twist your back to walk. I eventually had a hip replacement carried out last year and it is brilliant by comparison to the arthrodesis. I now have movement in the hip which allow so many things that other people take for granted. The pain should ease off eventually but at least it won't get any worse.
I also have had a left hip fusion since I was 11 years old,I am now 75,managed well thoughout my working life but for some years have had inevitable problems with lower back problems and now left knee problems which require tkr which is due to take place in sept.2014,I am worried about outcome can get no real info,has anyone had a knee replacement with a fused hip,love to know the outcome
Hi I have fused hip and TNr 8 years ago vey good but still a few back problems but knee great they also took half the pin out of hip cause snapped thanks
I have fused hip and also knee replacement but still work Ang go up the gym I just adapt bad days and good days thanks
My hip has been fused for 29 years on weds so it lasts ok x
Hi,
You had a knee replacement whilst still having fused hip is that correct?and its been fine since,thats great!what was recovery from opertion like?
It was a bit rough sfter op as I had general and spinal and spinal left in for 3 days to control pain so was in intensive care but the knee is fine I was out in 5 days and recovery was about 4 months then back up gym if you have a fixed hip you learn to adapt but it is fine now I still get some pain in my back but that is because of the hip and will never change but apart from that is great thanks
Hi Janet,the problem is I have seen 3 consultants and all have given me different advice,one said he wouldnt touch it with a bargepole as it would not last,another was rather blarsy about it giving me the impression the implications of how hip fusion effects ones life,my own consultant was rather more cautius and felt I would need a special joint made as the original has become malformed over the years,I t doesnt leave me with much confidence approaching the operation,I am signicantly older than you so maybe thats a factor,hearing of your experience has helped a lot.many thanks,John
I has to have knee replacement as on morphine and the joint was bone on bone the op was done with the leg hanging over table but was done over 7 years ago some slight pain but nothing compared to before and I am up the gym most nights and work in a hospital so on my feet all day glad I had it done as walking with sticks before my consultant was brilliant might need another but not worried about that hope this helps
Hi Janet,I was wondering how the operation was carried out the hip being locked,that explains it,was post op. physio straight forward as we cannot lift our leg to bend,can you still bend your leg past 90 degrees as I need to do that to put socks on and shower,sorry to be a pain but its difficult to obtain this sort of info,people complain of clunking of the joint ,do you get that?
Thanks for you help as you can probably tell I am pretty worried about this op.
Regards John
Hi debra57, I was born with a congenital dislocation of my righr hip. at least thats what i was told. My hip was fused at a very young age probably about 3 or 4 years old. In 1968 i suffered an accideent that resulted in my left hip being replaced. In 1998 I started to get pain left hip that turned out to be reflected pain from my back. I was diagnosed as having severe curvature of the spine resulting from the way i walk.
I am currently suffering pain in my right fused hip. family doctor suggests tendon problems. I am not so sure. Pain has reduced to a continuos ache that makes me feel unwell. I am 67 years old and can see no improvement anytime soon. I get bad back pain after walking 20 to 30 yards
I know the feeling mine was fused in 1986 when I was 19 and last year the pin snapped and half taken out as it was protruding from the hil into the muscle , but have you had your legs measured as I have a difference in length and this can affect my back ,it does help having your shoe built up as I work long hours in the nhs ,( which all of the young doctors and physics have never seen an arthrodesis hip ).
my knee was also replaced due to the hip with limited bend ,but believe me if you ask the surgical appliances up your local hospital to have your legs measured does work it relieves some of the pressure on your back ,
will they put in a new hip as I have been told my muscle had deteriorated too much for a hip replacement and we live in west wales end of nowhere so they won't take it on in our small hospital but have been tol some of the larger ones will. Good luck hope this helps
jan
I am currently in hospital having undergone the first stage of a 2-stage total knee replacement on this past Thursday. Cultures (both bone and tissue) were taken and nothing has grown as of yet. We're 4 days out. The infectious medicine doctor is just saying it looks like she will treat me with a broad-spectrum antibiotic because they see nothing and if something is sub-acute it will address it.
My brother told me that the surgeon said he will be performing an knee fusion, bu that is confusing to me since there is no indication of infection. I would hope that since things did not turn out to be as he thought (infection) he will reconsider. I am a relatively young woman with lots of living yet and would not be able to drive, sit in a movie theatre or do many ordinary things with a fusion.
Please inform me of anything that might come to mind as to why he would do so without infection present.
I am currently in hospital having undergone the first stage of a 2-stage total knee replacement on this past Thursday. Cultures (both bone and tissue) were taken and nothing has grown as of yet. We're 4 days out. The infectious medicine doctor is just saying it looks like she will treat me with a broad-spectrum antibiotic because they see nothing and if something is sub-acute it will address it.
My brother told me that the surgeon said he will be performing an knee fusion, bu that is confusing to me since there is no indication of infection. I would hope that since things did not turn out to be as he thought (infection) he will reconsider. I am a relatively young woman with lots of living yet and would not be able to drive, sit in a movie theatre or do many ordinary things with a fusion.
Please inform me of anything that might come to mind as to why he would do so without infection present.