Arthroscopic Surgery vs Hip Resurfacing Pain Level Comparison

[Mr.Box]

So, I've seen that there is a common theme around here that some of us have had hip arthroscopic procedures done when we've had FAI diagnosed prior to a resurfacing.

Can anyone give me a order of magnitude on pain levels post-op comparatively ? 

[John C]

I am one of the people who has been through both, about 6 years apart. Your question is a tough one, because pain level is largely something that can be controlled by medication, so it is possible to go through either procedure with very little pain if enough medication is used. I would say that my pain levels were similar; maybe at worst a 2 or 3 for arthroscopy and a 3 or 4 at worst for resurfacing, but I did use a lot more painkillers for the resurfacing. Since the pain can be controlled in either case, a better question might be how disabling the procedure is for the first couple of weeks. On that scale, I would say that the arthroscopy was a 2 or 3 (though I was on crutches for a week or so), and the resurfacing was a much more serious 7, meaning that I was pretty wiped out for a couple of weeks. Also, I found recovery after arthroscopy to be a month ( which is when I started skiing again), to a few months (which is when it stopped hurting from skiing). Resurfacing is 6 months to a year before impact sports like skiing, and a year or two to be completely healed.
So my view is that the pain levels can be controlled so that they are similar, but resurfacing is a much more serious and traumatic surgery. In my case, resurfacing was also vastly more successful at getting me back to high levels of virtually pain free activity.

[David]

I had both surgeries 3 years apart myself.  John pretty much explained it to a T.
Surgical recovery was only a few weeks with the scope, but for me gave me little relief.
Resurfacing however has been a life resuming choice.
Not that the resurfacing recovery is more painful, but you will feel the severity of the procedure throughout your entire body.
You will be fine...especially in the hands of Dr. Su and the staff at HSS.  Nothing but great things to say about them.
David

[rubyred]

I'm not sure you can compare the two procedures to be honest.

I've had both and my arthroscopy was done via keyhole surgery, so that alone right there is a big difference. However it did take me a few weeks to recovery from that, but the arthritic pain was still there the whole time.

With resurfacing, once the spinal had worn off, the only pain I had was from the incision and the muscles in the thigh. No arthritic pain at all. But your entire body will know what you've had done and you will feel it. It's by no means distressing, in fact I moved around the ward quite happily 2-3 days after surgery, but you will ache everywhere. I likened it to having a heavy gym session and your muscles being ticked off at you the next day.

Keep taking the meds when they offer them, I took everything they offered me!

[hipnhop]

I had a scope three months before RBHR. It didnt do anything but cost me a few hundred dollars in co-payments. I cant comment on pain levels because it did not help with pain (I have AVN). So i still couldn't walk, in pain.  It did allow the surgeon to ssample my tissue/bone to determine in an infe tion was the underlying cause of my pain after the Cortisone shot. Once the resutls came in they started to plan for HR.  Without it they were clueless about why my body reacted the way it to Cortisone.