Meralgia paresthetica with HR Patients?

[Dan L]

Any hippy's experiencing these symptoms http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meralgia-paresthetica/basics/symptoms/con-20030852?  Reportedly scar tissue can cause this, see here http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meralgia-paresthetica/basics/causes/con-20030852

I have had it on and off for more than a year, with a tingling sensation occurring many times per day lately.  I had my BHR's in 2011 and 2012.  I do not seem to have these other causal risk factors.

Curious to know if other HR patients have experienced this.

Many thanks in advance,

Dan

[John C]

I have read about issues with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (the nerve affected in Meralgia paresthetica) after HR surgery using the direct anterior approach, though the issue often goes away with time. As far as I know, Dr Brooks uses the direct lateral approach, and one reason that he gives for this is to avoid problems with this nerve.
Not sure if this helps much, other than to point out that if you do get some responses about other people having trouble with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, it would be worth checking the surgical approach that they had, since it seems to be more common with the direct anterior approach. Since I assume that Dr Brooks used his preferred direct lateral in your case, their experience may not be directly relevant to you.
Obviously you should touch base with Dr Brooks regarding your symptoms, and maybe at that time you could confirm the approach that was used in your case. I have read nothing but great things about Dr Brooks, so I am sure that he will want to know about your issues and try to help you in figuring out whats going on.

[Dan L]

Thanks John I really appreciate the thoughts and insight.   I'll check back when I know more.

Thanks again

[kleary12]

Hi Dan,
Dr. Brooks is my doctor and I am also experiencing this.  I posted it under a different question because when I called Dr. Brooks's PA, he thought it sounded like bursitis and that's what I asked about in my earlier question (and got no interesting responses).  I have an appointment this week (2 days shy of my 1-year anniversary)--it would be my one-year check up, but it is also to address this issue.  Up till the start of this issue, I had had a near-perfect 10-month recovery.  No pain, easily bring my knee to my chest, raring to get back to my normally routine (heavy biking) after my 1st year restrictions were over.  Then one day late July, I thought I had a mosquito bite on my thigh and kept itching it through my jeans, but eventually it became a constant tingling, numbness in my outer thigh.  No IT band problems (I had lots of those in the past, which the BHR fixed, so I recognize them well). Besides the numbness, experiencing sensitivity around the incision and the buttocks area.  It kind of sounds like bursitis, but after reading more about Meralgia Paraesthetica, it sounds much more like this.  Number one reason, bursitis is supposed to be very painful and this is only a little painful and annoying.  Plus it is definitely aggravated when I wear a seat belt, and that falls right in line with MP.
But my big question is, why is this happening?  Is it something to do with the placement of the device.  (Please, no revisions!! arrrrgh!)  And why all of the sudden, when I did no unusual activities to bring this on?  I want to go back to feeling totally perfect and "cured"!  BTW, I was told to use NSAIDs and ice and icing does seem to relieve the numbness a bit (or just change the location of the numbness to my frozen, iced hip!), but after nearly 2 months, it hasn't had much of an effect.
I will let you know what happens after my appointment in Cleveland this Thursday.

[kleary12]

Update from 1st year follow-on appointment.  The whole Meralgia Paresthetica issue--there really was no answer to this.  My hip device looked perfect and there was no real conjecture as to what was causing the numbness and tingling except that I might have irritated sensitive nerves with other activities and that it would likely go away over time.  BUT, it turns out I do have bursitis!  The PA had me lay on my good side and pressed the usual spot for bursitis and yeoooow!  It was so odd, because I could never feel that myself when poking around my incision area.  So I got a cortisone injection to that site and it will take about 4 days to take affect.  That will probably relieve the overall discomfort I was having and he suspects it may relieve the numbness and tingling.  I also had a metal ion level blood test just to be on the safe side.  So we shall see.  So why bursitis now?  He said it could be anything--he's known people to sprain an ankle, then get bursitis in the other hip from the limp.  But the main thing is, the hip device looks good, so in a couple weeks, after the cortisone does its thing, I'm off restrictions and working back up to my normal activity level.  Woo Hoo!