Infection after Hip Resurfacing

[sroberts]

Hey Holly,

Hang in there. Not everyone has an easy recovery. I was going great guns until this week. First felt lethargic then did blood work...turns out I have an infection. Going in for surgical washout tomorrow. Then 6 weeks of IV antibiotics.

take care,

spencer

[Vicky]

Wow, So sorry to hear that!  When was your surgery?  Do they have any idea what caused the infection?

Vicky

[Pat Walter]

Spencer

I am sorry to hear about your infection. I gave you your own topic because this is very important and I want people to be able to give you support.

I want to wish you good luck tomorrow.  We will all keep you in our thoughts and prayers that the antiobiotics will remove the infection.

Please keep us posted on your recovery.

Pat

[sroberts]

Thanks Vicky and Pat,

I'm currently six weeks postop. Last Friday I noticed extreme fatigue and a slight fever. By Monday I knew something wasn't right. Went for a blood test and it showed infection as well as swelling just beneath the incision.

On Tuesday I went for a CT scan and the radiologist aspirated fluid just below the incision but not below the fascia. The fluid was serosanguineous and initial gram stain showed no bacteria.
The culture results came back Thursday as staph. Ortho scheduled me for surgery Friday (today).

So I show up to the hospital and am prepped and ready to go to the holding area when My surgeon comes in as explains the most recent tests where the culture is paired with different antibiotics to show sensitivity....well there were no results--NOTHING GREW.
So the surgeon has just lost a data point and doesn't want to cut into me for no reason.
So I go into the OR and he aspirates the fluid at the hip. He told me earlier that if it was all
full of pus, he would go ahead with the wash out. Well the fluid was clear. So he is culturing it at the hospital instead of an outsourced lab and we'll know by Tuesday if I need a surgical washout.

What a bizzaro day it has been.


spencer

[Vicky]

Hi Spencer,

Well that sounds like somewhat good news.  My thoughts are with you and please keep us posted.  I really hope it is not an infection.

Vicky

[sroberts]

Thanks Vicky,

There is no pain inside the hip. Device feels good. The redness on each end of the incision definitely concern me. I first noticed that Monday. So if it is an infection, I think we got it early. As my triathlon clients from Estonia say, "We're holding our thumbs". It's the same as crossing your fingers.

take care,

spencer

[John C]

I am hoping that this will be a false alarm, and that things will work out fine without additional surgery. I felt that I should pass on a word of caution based on my very limited experience. I had a friend who had an infection shortly after a knee replacement. They treated him with an antibiotic that i believe was called genomycin. His dosage was too high, and it destroyed the cilia in his inner ear that gives our sense of balance, so he is left with a total loss of balance for life. A few years later, another friend called me when they discovered infection shortly after a total hip. I warned him about the first fellow's experience, but he ended up getting the same drug, and ended up with the same result. I am certainly no doctor, but with my personal experience being two out of two with this drug, I would certainly want to talk to my doctor before starting on it, if there was another choice.

[Big Bill]

Spencer.... hats' off to you bro....you are always one of the first to acknowledge someone elses' post or issue. That is what this site is all about....support. Understanding that you may have an infection, I know I can speak for many...we now support you...and have you in our prayers and want you to beat this. 

         Big Bill

[sroberts]

Thanks Bill,

The fluid taken from the hip Friday should be cultured by Monday evening. I'll know more on Tuesday. I'm taking clindamycin orally, 300mg every six hours. Also seeing a ID specialist on Wednesday. No pain or fever at the moment. Hope that's a good sign.

spencer

[CITY2SOUTH]

Good Luck Spencer - I'll add you to my prayers..

Lisa

[bciam]

Spencer,

I wish you the best and hope everything goes as smooth as possible.

-Brian

[sroberts]

Thanks everybody, I appreciate your support. I should know what the game plan is tomorrow and will post as soon as I can.

thanks again,

spencer

[TomBuell]

Hang in there Spencer. We're pulling for you.
Let us know what the results show.
- Tom

[sroberts]

Results are in--it grew out staph-methicillin sensitive so at least we can rule out mrsa.
Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow followed by 6 weeks of IV antibiotics. Hoping for the best.
I'll update on a regular basis.

spencer

[Pat Walter]

Spencer

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Good Luck.

Pat

[John P]

Spencer,

I have been reading your posts on your recovery since your hip resurfacing surgery. You have both stamina & courage and thats half the battle won. Very best wishes with surgery and I am sure you will come through this positively.

John P

[sroberts]

Thanks John I appreciate the support.



spencer

[TomBuell]

That sucks Spencer. Good luck with the procedure and treatment.
When you noticed the infection, did you have additional swelling?
- Tom

[sroberts]

Hey Tom,

The first thing I noticed was an extreme fatigue. This wasn't your basic post op, just starting back into activity fatigue....this was get me into a horizontal postion and I don't want to move fatigue. Along with that came some swelling at the incision site and a slight fever, occasional chills and two days later, redness on either end of the incision site.

I've been on Clindamycin since last Tuesday and the incision area is healing nicely, no fatigue, no fever. But there is swelling in the hip and pressure- no pain.

[Big Bill]

Spencer... sorry to hear of the diagnosis...time to show 'em what your made of bro ...we are all  pulling for you !

              Big Bill