Has any one tried to claim from the NHS after having a THR. Two years on and I am housebound, can't lift the leg that was operated on and in constant pain. Been passed around 5 consulants and no one can find a cause. People keep saying to me ''Make a claim '' but who do I blame ? My surgeon says what he did is perfect. Any ideas would be welcome. xx
Hi Linda, This sounds awful. I don't know what to say to you if you have seen five consultants. Were they at different hospitals because it's my experience that they are quite happy to criticise faulty work by other surgeons. You would have to talk to medical negligence firms I'm guessing to see if you have a case for sueing. Are you claiming the disability benefits you are entitled to? Also any nerve or tendon damage wont show on x Ray. I expect you feel desperate for answers. THR in great when it goes well and a nightmare when it goes wrong. Hopefully someone on here can help.
Of course your surgeon says what he did is perfect. Get your X-rays from the pre-op, day of surgery and at your post-op. And get all your medical records ... office reports, operative reports, any physical therapy reports. Then take them to another orthopedist who is good and see what he/she says. Have him measure your femur neck. Is your femur neck, like mine, abnormally wide, and your surgeon put one in that is too narrow? Is the stem sinking into the femur bone and pulling down the ball, like mine is? Another orthpedist can tell all that. Here in the States, depending on what state we live in, we only have two years to bring a malpractice claim. And here in the States, many attorneys are too lazy to take the case ... I'm still looking for one who will take my case. Who do you blame? Why not yoru surgeon? Pursue it! Good luck.
My hubby had to sign a consent form for both his THR's which outlined all the things that could go wrong. This obviously protects the Surgeon should something nasty happen.
Thanks for your concern. I am claiming all I can after being sacked from my job due to sickness but it is not enough to cover the outgoings. It's good to find people on this thread that kows what I am going through. xxx
Thanks for that I will take in on board. xx
I know what you mean. I would never had gone through with it if I had known what could happen.
I signed a consent form, but it didn't outline anything that could go wrong.
What gets me is where the fine line is between signing away our rights to risks and having a surgeon who leaves us hanging in misery because he made mistakes and will not hold himself accountable?
Dawn
When I need another operation I shall add my own bit where the risks of the operation are listed. Something like, notwithstanding the risks as explained to me, I shall expect that the surgeon and his team will do all in their professional capacity to minimise those risks. See what happens.
AWESOME!
Heart breaking story. Really. I´d focus on finding a cause and solution first. The most important. In that proces you will also at the same time figure out what the first doctor has done wrong. Then afterward you can try and pursue that.
Hi Linda,
Was your hip replacement anterior or posterior? I've read posterior takes a much longer time to recover since muscles are cut. Were you able to walk after the surgery in the hospital? I can't believe you cannot lift your leg now after 2 years! Did you do all the post-op physical therapy prescribed and walk daily? Could you walk at first and then gradually had pain and weakness? Could another surgeon go back into the THR and find the problem? Like juliette said, maybe it's a tendon or muscle damage that needs treatment. I feel so bad for you!
Hi Linda
My story is similar to yours only I had my right hip replaced 3 times and finally it is alright. We thought about sueing the Dr's but I think they would gang up against you as they all know one another and I was frightened no one would do anything for me then. My 1st Dr said my hip was perfect but the 2nd one said he wouldn't have put it in the the wayhe had but when I had revision surgery 5yrs later by 2nd Dr I ended up with a longer leg. After another 5 yrs i went back to see him as by then i was housebound and in so much pain with my spine caused through the longer hip that he referred me to another Dr who said he could help me. He was fantastic and I only have praise for him. The only problem is the damage over 10 yrs has left me with degenrative spine problems for which I am having more surgery for in January.
Hope you manage to get something sorted with your hip but I would be very careful about sueing them in case you needed further surgery in the future,
I feel like my life has been on hold for th elast 10yrs and have had to give up th ejob I loved .
Oh thanks for that Beryl. How have you coped for 10 years ? It must have been hell. Can you walk OK now?
HI Linda I forgot to ask you was your hip like it is now as soon as you had the surgery or has it deteriated over time. Mine were all not to bad at first and i was walking up and down stairs before they let me go home, My 1st one was definately the worse one to get over and the 2nd one would have been fine apart from the leg length. The Dr said it was the only way he could stabilise my hip but what I wan tto knowis how come the 3rd Dr could do it fine. They are all very good Drs as I really looked into there history before I chose them to operate on me. Where is it you are finding most of the pain?
I use to feel like I was sat on a lump an dmy leg felt really heavy . I also had a bursa on my trochanteric muscle. Can you tellme a bit more detail, Please.
I could walk fine after THR. It has got worse each day. My muscles in the right thigh are so painful and won't do what my brain tells them. I did all the physio at the start but I remember when trying to walk like a soldier, I could not lift my leg. I think something has been cut through so another op will be of no benifit.Or will it ? I am just lost in the pain.
Linda x
Smart! I will remember to do something like that also.
THR consent forms have a long list of what can go wrong including pulmonary embolism and most worryingly leg discrepancy.
THR although a common op is still a complex operation not to be taken lightly and as with any major surgery things can and do go wrong,sometimes due to pre existing health issues.
You just have to hope your lucky.
Pain can cause almost anyone to despair , but here in the US you file for disability which at least helps and depending on income you may get Medicaid assistance also. About who is to blame, this is very tricky and what everyone needs to understand is that a doctor may follow procedure and do a good job & still end up with a bad outcome. Human bodies vary greatly and you must take into account genetics, exposure to unknown environmental toxins and how their body reacts variables like trauma, medication, etc. Medical practice cannot be an exact science because of this wide variety; due diligence can be followed yet bad outcomes happen.
This is not to to say there aren't negligent doctors, anaesthesiologists, therapists, and even those who manufacture the prosthesis because we know for sure there are--- I've had a couple myself.
Sorry for the rant, it's just that life isn't fair and sometimes trying to find someone to blame is futile.