Community Forums

wagonmaster2 · 01-12-2012, 11:11 PM

My right hip is starting to cause me enough pain to make it uncomfortable while traveling and is going to need a replacement.

With all the recalls I've been reading about on the Depuy and Stryker replacement parts i was wondering who has had a satisfactory hip replacement recently and what brand of replacement part did your surgeon use? Been reading about so many people who have had very bad results and needing additional surgery that makes this really scarey.

I've tried to do as much searching for information on the Internet and about any surgeons but still not coming up with as much as I'd like to. I did locate a surgeon in Wichita, Kansas (90 miles from home) who does the kind of replacement where they enter the hip from the front instead of the rear, which is supposed to not cut through as much muscle tissue and has a lot shorter recovery time. Doesn't seem to be very many in the U.S. trained in this procedure, usually only being 2 or 3 in each state in my area (Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas).

This will be the first surgery I've ever had to go through (age 74) and am very nervous about the thought of being cut on. Everyone keeps telling me I'll feel so much better afterward and will wonder why I didn't do it sooner, but it still doesn't make me feel any better about doing it. Any thoughts or comments of encouragement will be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully most responses will be good news.

Wagonmaster2

slickest1 · 01-12-2012, 11:25 PM

Sorry to hear of your hip problem and can understand your wanting good info. On the bad side years ago I knew two different fellows that had replacements done and they walked with an awful limp. Just last summer a good friend of my DW had a hip replacement done and she is now walking better than she has for years and really enjoying life again and no limp. She is 70ish btw. I don't know what procedure she had as this was done in B.C. Canada. I don't know that this is helpful other than it seems to me they are getting better at these procedures as time goes on and hopefully yours will as well. Good luck.

CorLynn · 01-12-2012, 11:48 PM

Sorry to hear you need hip surgery. It is scary. I myself have no experience with any kind of hip surgery nor do I know anyone who has. I did see a recall add on TV the other night on a hip replacement

I have had a couple of surgeries in my life though, and i was very scared. All i can say is once they put you to sleep your brain can relax and when you wake up it will be over. I wish you the best and a speedy recovery. Just take it easy after words and get good rest. One thing I did wrong was try to do to much too soon after my 1st surgey and it really slows recovery, the key is rest.

Keep us posted on how things are going

RVNeophytes2 · 01-13-2012, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

My right hip is starting to cause me enough pain to make it uncomfortable while traveling and is going to need a replacement...

A good friend just had both done (two months apart), is doing well. PM me if you'd like to chat with him.

I'm sorry your trips are marred by the pain. This getting old stuff is Hell, eh?

wa8yxm · 01-13-2012, 08:47 AM

I don't know the brand but some years ago my Mother-in-law had a hip replacement done at St. Mary's hospital in Livonia MI.

Several years later she had another fall.. They took her to St. Mary's and when I spoke with one of her doctors he explained (In her presence) that they were doing an X-Ray to make sure it was still OK (It was) She replied "I have an artifical hip?" .

I told the doctor, Son of the one who performed the original replacement, "Well he must have done a good job" and he agreed, because... Well if he had not she'd have remembered the fact it was an artificial hip.. Oh yes, Every time she moved.

The moral of this: There are good ones out there.. I just don't know the brand.

Alas she's gone now,, But she did leave us the down payment on that which I am sitting in as I type. (Damon Intruder).

Steve Ownby · 01-13-2012, 10:45 AM

I had my right hip replaced in 2006 and I had a wonderful experience. My parts were manufactured by Zimmer, who also developed the minimally invasive surgery technique. I had the surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center by Dr Andrew Shiner. Vandy was great, Dr Shiner was great and my recovery was fast. I had 2 incisions about 2" long and I had very little surgery pain. I was pushing a walker around the nursing station 2 hours after surgery and spent one night in the hospital. I have had zero issues since.

Research the surgeon and ask for minimally invasive surgery.

Do it now. You will not be sorry.

SarahW · 01-13-2012, 11:20 AM

My 73 year old mother-in-law had her hip replaced about a year ago. She had been in such terrible pain before the surgery that she was absolutely THRILLED with the outcome. Her recovery went smoothly and she had a couple of months of physical therapy...and IIRC she wasn't supposed to bend over for a while.

We bought her one of those mechanical thingys to use when she needed something off of the floor.

It's such a common procedure now that it's pretty routine surgery. Good luck to you!

Old Dude 66 · 01-13-2012, 11:22 AM

Both of my hip joints have been replaced by Dr. Kurt Rathjen at the Baylor Hospital in downtown Dallas. I am 67 and very active, even riding my moutain bicycle and my road bicycle regularly. I am very pleased with the results.

I empathize with you! Hip pain is awful. Good luck!

wagonmaster2 · 01-13-2012, 11:55 AM

Thanks for all the good replys. My problem was when I started reading all the bad results from the recalled joints. Hopefully my doctor is telling me the truth when he says he's had very good results in the last several years, both with his replacements and the minimal invasive procedure he uses.

Will have many more questions for him at my pre-operative appointment the first of March.

Wagonmaster2

Pricejh · 01-13-2012, 01:36 PM

Before making a decision, take a look at how the procedure is done. MAKOplasty is providing some excellent results with very short down times.

MAKO Surgical Corp. - MAKOplasty®

They can help you locate a surgon and hospital to do the procedure. I'm looking at knee replacement sometime withinthe next five or six years and will go this way.

wagonmaster2 · 01-14-2012, 08:18 PM

I checked for surgeons doing this procedure in my close area, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas. All the ones listed do knees only, no hips. May be a new enough procedure it hasn't been perfected for the hip yet. The best I've heard and read about is the Anterior Procedure where a short incesion is made from the front of the hip instead of the side or back of the hip. This is supposed to eliminate cutting through the majority of the muscle tissue in the hip making for faster recovery and not near the amount of limitations during a faster recovery. And you're not sitting on your incesion and stitches. Also is supposed to give the surgeon better control since the patient is lying flat on his back instead of his side.

Reading about all the recalls on replacement parts from Depuy, Stryker, and Zimmer is really getting scary. If something doesn't work right it's not like a part on your car where they just put on a different one, redoing a hip or knee can be worse than the original procedure. Guess I'll see what more questions I get answered at my next appointment.

Wagonmaster2

dons2346 · 01-14-2012, 10:35 PM

Do you carry your big fat wallet in your pocket? If so, remove it while driving. I was having pains and I removed the wallet from my rear pocket while driving and the pain went away.

It could be a cheap fix.

Luckiest Dreamer · 01-15-2012, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dons2346

Do you carry your big fat wallet in your pocket? If so, remove it while driving. I was having pains and I removed the wallet from my rear pocket while driving and the pain went away.

It could be a cheap fix.

I will not try to diagnose if you do or do not need the replacement but will agree with don. I have a bit of back trouble from driving an 18 wheeler for years. I found that removing wallet etc from my back pocket and placing my feet firmly and flat on the floor was a great relief.

SuperMike · 01-15-2012, 09:30 AM

I had a hip replacement done in 2010, I was then 63. Left hospital after 5 days, able to walk a flight of stairs, all be it with a stick. At the end of a fortnight I was walking the block and at the end of the month, one mile a day. After that I was off

. Back to being a Scout Leader, hiking and riding my mountain bike. All in all, excellent.

This wednesday coming, I go in for a knee replacement on the same leg.

You need to do exactly as you are told by the physio. The exercises they give you are very important.