Thank you all who responded to my severe swelling episode.  I ended up calling the hospital and talked to an ortho resident who, "without being able to see it",  said it could be a blood clot or normal post-op swelling.  That was enough for me and I ended up in the emerg room of a nearby hospital.  3:30 in the morning and one ultra sound later there was no blood clot noted.  I talked to my surgeon this am and he said it was blood and fluid buildup in the knee area which is common after HR surgery due to more blood loss than THR.  Give it two weeks.  So I'm OK with that.

Another reason I thought caused the swelling I is I think I tweaked the HR joint the day I came home from the hospital getting out of the car.  My operated left hip fell out of the car before I was able to set myself with my right leg.  I felt excrutiating pain and quickly pulled my leg back into the car.  I finally got out, but have felt groin pain ever since.  I had none in the hospital.  I did it again coming home from the emerg room last night.  Needless to say , I'm not going in the car again for a while.

Has anyone out there injured the joint by going against the global precautions for hip dislocations accidentally without actually dislocating the hip?  I am hoping I did not disturb the new joint or did I just pull some tissues in the area.  I want to say it's nice to be home,  but my aches and pains got worse when I got home.   Thanks,  Russ

Russ,


Glad to hear that it was not a blood clot, did you have indications that it might have been a clot?  Redness, painful warm to the touch? It sounded normal, of course I did not want to just blow it off and not mention to look for symptoms of the blood clot.

I actually had one of those episodes about 8 weeks post-op, I was at Bally's getting dressed and I turned my foot the wrong way too far and I got pain like you can't imagine, it went on for a day but then it went away.

Dr. Gross told me that his big concern with certain movements post-op is one because you might dislocate and two that the ligaments and muscles need to heal before you put too much tension on them.   I've read that it would take a good bit to loosen an implant, your acetabulum implant is pounded into your hip with spikes that help it stay and your femoral cap is held in place with cement that dries by the time you're awake after the operation.  I've heard of people falling and not losing their implants.

Does your pain increase when you put weight on or move?  Do you have major shooting pain when you do those things?  If so I would call and tell your doc what happened.  I know the pain you are talking about, I thought I would pass out when I did it.


Chuck








quote author=RUSSHAGOPIAN link=topic=919.msg5064#msg5064 date=1228697582]
Thank you all who responded to my severe swelling episode.  I ended up calling the hospital and talked to an ortho resident who, "without being able to see it",  said it could be a blood clot or normal post-op swelling.  That was enough for me and I ended up in the emerg room of a nearby hospital.  3:30 in the morning and one ultra sound later there was no blood clot noted.  I talked to my surgeon this am and he said it was blood and fluid buildup in the knee area which is common after HR surgery due to more blood loss than THR.  Give it two weeks.  So I'm OK with that.

Another reason I thought caused the swelling I is I think I tweaked the HR joint the day I came home from the hospital getting out of the car.  My operated left hip fell out of the car before I was able to set myself with my right leg.  I felt excrutiating pain and quickly pulled my leg back into the car.  I finally got out, but have felt groin pain ever since.  I had none in the hospital.  I did it again coming home from the emerg room last night.  Needless to say , I'm not going in the car again for a while.

Has anyone out there injured the joint by going against the global precautions for hip dislocations accidentally without actually dislocating the hip?  I am hoping I did not disturb the new joint or did I just pull some tissues in the area.  I want to say it's nice to be home,  but my aches and pains got worse when I got home.   Thanks,  Russ
[/quote]

Dr. Spencer, tell the truth, you actually own the Holiday Inns.

 


Chuck

Russ,

Relax and rest. The hip capsule needs time to heal and may be the pain you're experiencing. I know I tweaked my hip several by sudden uncontrollable movements the first few days, that's why you've got to rest and ice. Take those meds and keep on top of the pain. i know I'm not a doctor but I slept in a holiday inn express last March.


spencer