Hi.. New here, so bear with me. After limping into my Ortho's office in March of '14 I found out that I somehow fractured the ball on my left femur leading to a total hip replacement. In '15 I found out that I developed heterotropic ossification in the left hip, and it was surgically removed. Same thing in '16, but this time we threw in some radiation treatment to prevent the trifecta. Now in '17.. Left hipp pain back more than ever. MRI shows no fractures or loosening of the stem, but it does show a "moderate" amount of fluid around the hip implant. My ortho did blood work to rule out metal wear and gout (both negative), and now on Monday I get fluid drained for testing. My ortho said this didn't look good. Has anyone else had anything like this? Does anyone know why would there be anyother reason for that much fluid around a hip implant? I'm kind of freaking out here, because I also have a left knee total replacement and if it is infection I'm worried it's next.
Thank you.
Hi
The test on the fluid will tell if it is an infection. My hip became infected and my symptoms were, for a long time, just that the hip was a bit stiff and sore when I first started to walk. It then got very sore and the area around my scar was red and tender to the touch. The doc took a sample and that plus my blood test showed I had an infection.
Hopefully you will get a different diagnosis. I think sometimes they can treat the infection with antibiotics, but generally they remove the hip joint first as it is hard to kill off bacteria in the space between bone and metal.
I had 6 weeks of antibiotics, The infection is, we think, now gone and I'm just waiting for my new hip which ios due in July.
Good luck on Monday.
Mike
After my second HO removal, things were great. Then about December, things started hurting. My ortho did the MRI (mainly looking at the right hip due to partial labrum tear) and noticed the "Moderate amount" of fluid. He then ordered at White Blood Cell scan. That didn't really show anything. I then met with my Ortho's partner, and he wasn't optimistic. He said whenever he sees fluid like this around a replacement, he thinks: 1) Infection, 2) Metal wear, or 3) Gout. All the recent bloodwork ruled out 2 and 3. And he said that since I've had three surgeries in this hip, that puts me at a higher chance. Lucky me.
Hi there.
First let me tell you how sorry I am for all you have gone through. It's experiences like yours that make me realize how unfair it is for all we go through, and how little the general public uunderstands how much we ALL go through in relation to our bum joints. Multiple surgeries, chronic pain, multiple medicines, different treatments.... it's monotonous, frustrating, and tiring.
I had my first THR @ 37 years old and it went fabulous except for an incision infection. I was completely pain free and happy until about a month ago. Now, only 5 years later my hip is killing me. I'm so scared what the surgeon will tell me and can't even imagine having another surgery so soon.
I wish you well--- hang in there-- we're all in this together.
Hi
I'm not sure which of the three options you should hope for. If it's #2 at least they will simply replace the joint. #3 is pretty treatable these days. And #1 is at least curable, You sound like you are not in the UK so hopefully can get it sorted fairly quickly. I will have been 4 months with a spacer by the time I get my new joint.
Mike
Just curious - - during those 6 weeks of antibiotics, were you able to ambulate?
Susan
Yes, I can put quite a lot of weight on the "hipless" leg. It's 3 months since I had it out now and my replacement op is scheduled for July 19th. It gets a bit sore if I do too much. I tried walking in a swimming pool last week. I think I walked too much in the shallow end where most of my body was out of the water, so it was quite sore the next day. But I am looking forward to getting a PROPER hip!!
Mike
Hi everyone! So I did the hip aspiration (drain) yesterday. I did get pretty quick results from the lab, but yet to speak with my surgeon about them. First of all, if you ever get a joint aspirateted and they ask you if you would like to see the fluid, I would pass on the oppurtunity. Mine looked "bloody with a tinge of green". The lab reports were as follows: 7ml withdrawn. Nucleated Cell Count was 625/mcL (the range they like is 0 to 200). Neutrophils are at 44% (o to 25 is standard). And no Joint Fluid Crystals seen (no Gout). Does this look like an infectionn to anyone else? The lab is culturing what they brought out, so it may still be a few days before I know anything confirmed. But, it sure seems like a bacterial infection to me.. I'm open to opinions.
hi mderome,
I can't answer your question - you are already researching the test result and hopefully you will get a call soon from your surgeon ---please let us know the outcome, okay ?
good luck
big warm hug
renee
Hi
It does sound like an infection but wait and see. I hope you have better luck than me. After they took the sample the fluid started leaking out and did so until they took the joint out 3 or so months later! Mind you, I did find that it was less painful with the fluid getting out.
Hope you get a dignosis soon
Mike
I spoke to my surgeon last Wednesday. He said that he didn't see anything that "screamed" major infection, but he also cautioned me that low grade "simmering" infections were not uncommon in joint repacements. We wait, culture the little a-holes, and then come up with a solution. I'm hoping to hear something soon.
Does anyone here know how long it takes to do a culture on synovial fluid for an infection? Going on day 10 with no word.
I think it takes under a week. They kept me in for a week after removing my joint so they could do a culture and adjust the antibiotics and as I recall they changed my antibiotics a few days before I was discharged. But there would be a bit of admin getting the results to you I imagine. Still 10 days sounds like enough time.
Mike
Spoke to the surgeon's office yesterday. Here is the answer "The culture was ordered as an "extended hold." I believe these take 14 days before we receive any results. We will keep an eye on this and update you as soon as we have information available." This sucks..
Well.. According to my Surgeon's PA (in an email mind you), I have no presence of infection. But "I can speak with my surgeon on Friday to discuss all of the results then". She then offered to sent in a script for Tramadol (which they know I'm deathly allergic to). So then I tell her "Sure, sent it in! Maybe the Grand mal seizure it would give me would finally do the job and then the pain that no one believes I have will be over. Then I told her to have a good day, and maybe kick a puppy or two to make herself feel better. So tired of this.
Shame you don't have a diagnosis or explanation for the pain but probably better it isn't an infection of the joint. Are you allergic to all opiates or is it just Tramadol?
Mike
Just Tramadol.. Put me in a Grande Mal Seizure one morning.
Good morning everyone (at least it beautiful on the shores of Lake Michigan in Racine). Here's the update: The culture came back a complete negative for infection (which is great). I went to see a pain management doctor which was laughable at best. I had a MRI done of my Lumbar spine to see if that was causing issues, and several were found:
1. Mild multilevel degenerative changes of the lumbar spine without thecal
sac or significant neural foraminal narrowing. There is stable mild
narrowing of the right neural foramen at L5-S1.
2. Mild levoscoliosis of the lumbar spine. Mild (grade 1) retrolisthesis of
L4 on L5.
3. When compared to the prior MRI lumbar spine study from 8/15/2015, there
has been interval development of atrophy and fatty infiltration of the left
psoas and iliacus muscle. This correlates with a territory supplied by the
left L1-3 lumbar spinal nerves and parts of the left femoral nerve.
I'm trying to research these conditions via the good ol' computer, but am getting nowhere. I now have an EMG scheduled for next week, which I am most definitaly not looking forward to.
Does any of this sound familar to anyone? All I know is that the pain in my hip and upper thigh is killing me. I'm taking Desipramine and Carbamazepine (Idiot Pain Management Doc's idea) with no relief. Of course he said to me that this was all hip pain and not back pain (go figure).
I'm so sick of pain and doctors...
dear mderome,
very impressive - I am sorry but don't know enough to help you here ..
is the pain in your hip at the joint and thigh where the hardware is?
How about a 2nd opinion ?