Full replacement after failed Resrufacing by World Champion tennis player

[focused130]

I am a 62 yr. old male competitive tennis player. I was ranked #1 in the World in the 55 and over division in 2005.
I had stryker replacement july 09 with westrich at HSS in NY.
Stress neck fracture Feb 10.
Crutches for 6 weeks. Fracture healed.
In October pain came back.
In November my xray showed that the neck or the head was collapsing and i needed new surgery.
HSS wanted to leave the socket side and do a full replacement using a replacement ball.
I opted for new total replacement removing the socket as I was uncomfortable with a replacement ball that had not been machined with the existing cup. I also didnt want to do metal on metal again bc of the recent concerns.
Had surgery on 11/29
Any thoughts or any similar experiences.?

[Luann]

Hello focused,
 Thank you for sharing your experience and info. So sorry you have to go through another surgery (have you read ReneeP's most recent posts- she is having similar problems).
 I am at high risk, so I am told, for neck fracture also, being a small framed female. I would like to ask if you know how the fracture occured? Anything some of us hippies need to know to protect our HR's?
 I understand that sometimes it just happens (too much stress to the neck, or perhaps during implant placement). Anything else you could share would be helpful.
 Good luck with your next surgery. I'm sure we will al be thinking of you. Lu

[Pat Walter]

I am sorry to hear about your revision.  Did you receive a ceramic on ceramic?  Just wondering what device you choose.  I hope that your recovery continues to go well for you and you will be able to get on the court again - after a good long time for healing!

Please keep us posted on your progress.  Good Luck.

Pat

[focused130]

My first surgeon, from Hospital for Special Surgery never really addressed why I fractured. He did suggest that I did too much too soon. I told him that I was the absolute perfect patient, following all regimens and cleared every activity with him. He countered that as an elite athlete I probably didn't know that me not doing a lot was still doing too much. I disputed saying that I was well within myself throughout. I felt that he did not want to address some other possibilities.
I had the revision surgery on Nov 29 with a different doc as my relationship with the first surgeon was slipping into, for me, a bad place. This in part bc of his insistence on leaving the cup in and just replacing the femoral side with a replacement ball that was made by Stryker. I didn't like the idea of an unmatched set and I wanted to get away from metal on metal. The more I read about what is going on with resurfacing issues the better I feel about doing the thing all over. The new surgery, even though the docs reserved the OR for 6 hours (they never know what they will find or how difficult removal of the cup might be), it took only two hours. I had zero pain and in the first week after surgery took a total of 3 tylenol, 2 for a headache. My recovery, hip wise is great. I did lose a lot of blood in the surgery so my energy was down for about 2 weeks. My new doc is being very conservative and wanted me on 50 wt bearing for four weeks. I have tried to negotiate but he is being firm. It has been four weeks tomorrow and I am going to 100% wt bearing today. I won't be seeing my doc for another two weeks bc he is on vacation but I have had several other docs support me getting to 100% now.
I expect to be back to tennis, just hitting balls in about 8 weeks and am already planning on a tournament in Atlanta in May. I am excited about that. I am relieved that this is in the past.
I was a big supporter of resurfacing as my original doc said "you are the perfect candidate." Now though I wish I had gone with THR from the beginning as I have lost 1 1/2 years to this problem. And the more I read the happier I am to be where I am.

[ReneeP]

Hi Focused130,

I had a THR 2 weeks ago after my femoral neck fractured 3 weeks after BHR.  I haven't gotten answers either as to why this happened other than that it happens in 1% of BHRs.  My revision was only on the femur side...the socket was left from the BHR and I now have a large MOM hip which is what I wanted if I couldn't have the BHR.  I was very upset that my BHR failed, especially so soon, but I followed my surgeon's rules as well and it still happened.  Now, I'm very happy to have a pain-free working hip and I look forward to getting back to a normal, active life.  Bottom line is that we ALL want to live a pain free life, and if that means a THR instead of the ideal BHR, then so be it.  It's still better than the pain and inactivity of an arthritic hip!

Best of luck with your new hip!

Renee

[focused130]

Renee
What manufacturer did you use. Mine was a stryker and when it was recommended to just do the femoral side I balked as I was uncomfortable with a ball that was not machined with the cup. Also the metal on metal issues troubled me. Did anybody recommend removing the cup side?
Good luck with yours. Speedy recovery...
Bob

[danebuxbaum]

Can either of you describe what the neck fracture felt like? Was it sudden and intense? Slow and achey? A gradual worsening of discomfort becoming pain? Is there anyway one can be working toward a fracture and know it's coming?
I appreciate whatever input that you can provide - and sorry for your bad luck.

[ReneeP]

Can either of you describe what the neck fracture felt like? Was it sudden and intense? Slow and achey? A gradual worsening of discomfort becoming pain? Is there anyway one can be working toward a fracture and know it's coming?
I appreciate whatever input that you can provide - and sorry for your bad luck.

For me, it was more gradual.  I woke up one morning and it felt pretty good, but by the end of the day it felt sore.  I just figured it was because it was the end of the day and I was tired.  I happened to have an appointment the next day with the PA and he said if it were a fracture or loosened component, the pain would have been searing and immediate.  A week later, I was having trouble walking with the cane and my pain was getting worse.  ALTHOUGH, the pain was more in my lower back and would shoot around to the side of my hip or groin area.  They thought it was tendonitis until they did an x-ray and saw it was fractured.