Hi just looking for some advice. I had a total hip replacement two years ago. It's been sore since and I've never been pain free. I've been to a variety of doctors and surgeons and I had it aspirated last week. My surgeon aspirated ten ml of fluid and pus. It's being sent for culture but he has said its most definitely an infection. Before they discovered this I had uptake on a bone scan and had felt myself it was loose. I just wondered if anyone else has had this and what happens next. I'm back in two weeks. Well a week now for the results of my gram stain. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.
Hi C
can only add a 'pointer', from my own experience.
When I had my left hip replaced, a couple of months ago, it became apparent from an x-Ray of both, that something was awry with my right hip replacement (also revised) (2007 and 2009).
Turns out that the cup of the device had become loose and is 'migrating' up through my pelvis. Partly explains the years of agony I've had with it, notwithstanding the nerve damage.
Sorry, don't mean to worry you, but my current surgeon, looking back over regular X-rays, says it would have been obvious from at least 2012 but 'can't explain' why the original surgeon didn't pick up on it.
Maybe something you can keep in mind, just as a possibility, while you go forward. I was shocked, to say the least. It's explained the 3cm shortening of my leg, too. Am in process of deciding whether to have a 3rd op on it, to try to rectify, though surgeon reckons I have little choice.
All the very best with your condition. Hope all goes well for you.
Elaine
UK
Thank you for replying. The surgeon I'm with now told me he could see from my bone scan one of the screws in my cup had moved. for me I've been to numerous docs and surgeons including the one who did my thr and they said it was fine and it was my back and sciatica. In October this year I went to my current surgeon who said " this isn't right" I get a lot of thigh pain and I've always had swelling heat and pain around my hip since the beginning. Do you think you will go ahead with an op to rectify your migrating cup. What would it entail.
Not certain yet. Due to have a consultation to discuss it. I developed a blood clot in my lung immediately after last op, so have to be on warfarin for 6 months, meaning can't have the other up until Spring.
All I know is that they'd take the cap, and it's 7 acres, out and replace it. (With a smaller one, too, as he reckons the original is at least a third too large for me: I'm tiny and seems this could have been another part of the problem).
If I don't have it done, then it will just travel further up. Am v aware that every step is adding to that!
I'd advise asking lots of questions and if you're unhappy/unclear about anything, then keep pushing until you're satisfied.
I will. The surgeon I'm with now is my original surgeon who did my first scope long before I had a hip replacement. He's good I really trust him completely. The only reason I didn't go to him for a thr was because he's quite far away from me so I went to a local surgeon instead. He is very thorough and to be honest the aspiration was only to rule out infection but once he aspirated it he said he knew it was infected. The amount of fluid and the pus could only be infection. I just don't know now how they revise it and I've read about antibiotics by Iv and it worries me the thought of being in hospital for long periods as I have Young kids. I can understand why you are reluctant to do anymore complications like blood clots are very scary. I hope you gradually gain strength back. Clots often take a long time to recover from strength wise.
I know that here in the States patients can be discharged from the hospital and get IV meds through an in dwelling port in the arm. Also some patients just go back to the hospital daily for IV meds. I guess the limiting factor could be if you'd need a constant IV drip or just daily. A severe infection might require a constant medicated drip. So, hopefully you can have the kind of antibiotic that could be attended to at home.
You have to be in so much pain with your post op complications. I had a pin in my foot migrate towards my heel once and it was very painful!! But finally got that sucker removed and a fusion done to hold the bones in place.
Wishing you the very best outcome 💜
Lee just aswel that pin migrated down and not up into any organs. That is shocking. Thankfully they removed it. The pain is strange because you become so used to it and I find now all I'm doing is managing pain not living. I think after October I noticed it was loose. I could feel it loose and that has exacerbated the pain but even having my kids sit too close to my wound can hurt. I was surprised when he told me the amount of fluid he removed. It's worse if I'm sitting. I've searched and everywhere mentions Iv antibiotics as opposed to oral so I'm assuming that's necessary. I cdnt travel but I wonder if my gp cd organise something. I'll dfinitely explore all possibility as opposed to staying in hospital. Just now it's the not knowing what's next that's hard to bear. I feel like I just want to know now. Thank you.
I need THR but just wondering if I should hold off as long as possible due to the fact that so many thing can go wrong... They say its a simple operation but I still hear storys of things not going right. Thank you and keep me informed of your progress.
Jimmy
I'd take first advice from your surgeon. There are so many variables and each of us is different.
Try not to focus on the scary things you read on this, or other, forums. Of necessity, most people come on here when experiencing problems.
The vast majority of ops are successful and just require patience.
Check out the Facebook total hip replacement site. I think you'll find it's a lot more balanced.
Good luck
Elaine
Jimmy to be honest I don't regret my thr. I know that sounds bizarre but I was in so much pain I cdnt function any longer. I will have the other side done eventually. Thankfully complications are rare , I think you know when it's time , when your life becomes about pain and getting through its the right time but I guess it is a very personal decision. What I would say is everything carries a risk but for those it goes well it's life changing. Good luck and keep me posted how you get on.
ok thanks cherrelle, so should I wait untill I can no longer deal with it? right now I function but I have good days and bad days.
Jimmy I honestly don't know I think for me I knew the time was right when the thought of going through another day in the same pain made me consider that the risks of surgery were worth it. I think there are so many fors and against having this surgery now but for me personally I did it when the risks I were prepared to " risk" if you like because living as I was just wasn't an option. The replacement did stop the arthritis pain but of course I've been left with this complication. I still can't regret the surgery as I was in a very bad place pain wise and although I'm still in pain it's a different pain. I agree you should talk to your surgeon in depth and look over the forums and ask lots of questions but also keep in mind complications are rare. Let me know how you proceed and although my experience hasn't been normal feel free to ask anything.
Yes, agree with you, C. When I'm having relatively bad days, I have to consciously remind myself how bad my pain was pre-op. Luckily, I have several good friends around me who regularly remind me.
5 months ago I had a total left hip replacement. Feb they found fluid and pus in my joint and I had infection on my incision as well! Had another surgery to clean the infection out. They inserted a picc line in my right arm to do I've antibiotics twice a day! I endured this for 6 weeks and then antibiotics by mouth for 3 weeks. Of course I had MS. Home health nurses to visi twice weekly to draw blood to be sure that the infection level was going down. This has been extremely painful time in my life and I don't think the pain will ever go away. I'm thinking I will have to live with this for the rest of my life.
Huge hugs to you - my deepest admiration for getting through this...
Yes, I understand completely what you have experienced with your hip. I had a hip revision in 2013, it's been painful since day 1. Now I had a CAT-SCAN on that hip & the doctor said I had a pus pocket or infection in that hip. I limp all the time because of pain in that hip & down my right thiegh. Did it help you to get your hip aspirated & was it painful? I'm asking because I am going to have to do something soon to stop this agonizing pain.