hip replacement
 

Any one planning on a hip replacement should look into a newer procedure...I just had mine done three weeks ago...It is called an anterial procedure...not all Drs. can do it this way...In my case, no muscles are cut...and less down time...Worth looking into. Three weeks tomorrow for me and I drove to a target today and Christmas shopped...
Mine was done by a Dr. at the Rothman Institute in Philladelphia Pa....

would be nice if they could do the knee replacements this way also. we had a neighbor who had one done the old way and a hip done the new way and was less down time. up and at work within a few days when the dr said could go back to regular activities.

Amazing what can be done. Happy you are doing so well:)

Hip Replacement.
 

I was talking to a lady at Curves who said she had a hip replacement and was sent home in less than 24 hours.
I have bad knees and have said that when they develop an easier/quicker knee replacement, I would have mine done. Until then, I exercise to strengthen the muscles and also use a stair lift in my home. I have exceeded the doctor's projected replacement date by 12 years! Some day there will be easier knee replacements. There just HAS to be! Until then, i will wait.

June in Cincinnati

June I agree with you l'll put off knee replacement until it gets easier. The recovery is more than I could take.

I had both my hips replaced, one 9 years ago and one 7 1/2 years ago (Both Birmingham hips). Recovery was pretty good even back then, I was driving within a couple of weeks and only used crutches in busy shopping centres after the first couple of weeks as the Doctor told me to. It was the best thing I could have done, my kids were only very young at the time and it mean't I could then chase after them and do almost everything they did. I hope I never need to have them redone (unfortunatly at my age it is very likely) and it's good to know that technology mean it hopefully will be easier the second time around.

After suffering for over 5 years with pain when I walked, I finally had my hip replaced. It was a traditional procedure, however, I have a very small incision and he didn't cut the muscles either. I was up the day of surgery - slept two nights in the hospital - could have left after 1, but the food was great! I came home to 14 stairs which with help I got up. He did it with a spinal anesthesia and conscious sedation, so I didn't have to recover from general anesthesia. My recovery was completely uneventful. I was driving on the surgery side in 3.5 weeks. I couldn't be more pleased with this - I had myself scared over recovery which is why I delayed it. I'm sorry I wasted so much time being in pain. Anyway, that was my experience.

Glad you are doing well. My husband hadd the anterial done 2 years ago. His Dr flew around the country teaching other surgeons. Walking a lot after the surgery helps a lot too. In our area they are doing partial knee replacements and they seem to be doing well with those. Love the new medical technology!

I have Lupus and because of steroids the blood flow to my hips stop and they were crumbling, back in 2003. I was told I needed both replaced. That same day I saw on a news program where a Pittsburgh doc was doing minimal invasive hip surgery. I called my Lupus doc 's nurse and she found him. I had my R done Dec. 2003 and my left L 2004. Up out of bed same day with both. I went out to dinner with my walker the same day I got of the hospital that was 5 days after surgery. The doc said he could have done both the same day but, because of my Lupus he said he wanted me to have rest inbetween. I had two small incesions one in front and one in back.

A friend had the first one done the old way ad it was a long recovery. She needed a lot of help. The 2nd was done the new way and she said it was amazing how quickly she recovered.

Ditto! Me too!

The recovery is a little rough with knee replacements, but it sure was worth it in my case. The pain was terrible before I had it done. I am now facing another major surgery and hope i can come through it as well.

Glad to hear everyone is doing well with the hip replacement, wow didn't realize so many people have had it done - I have a funny feeling I may need to within the next few years I've always got hip pain when I walk.

I had the hip replacement the old way. Due to a car accident in 1972, blood flow was cut off to my hip. I was in terrible pain whether I layed, walked, or sat, was ready to freeze up. I put up with that for about 5 years, waiting for technology to catch up. Old hip had to be chizzled out took about 5-6 hours, that was in 1992. The anniversary of the surgery was Dec. 02, 19 years later it is still working. I was 25 when the accident happened, drunk driver, and 47 when it was replaced. Good luck, I hope yours last as long.

Not all anterior incision hip replacement surgeries are so easy, but I am determined my next one, on the left hip, will certainly go better than this past one did last month!! The tale of that one takes nearly a whole page single-spaced. I found out just a couple weeks ago that my case was the talk of our huge Orthopedic Center here in town because of the 'incidents' connected with it. NOT a good thing! I was just glad to be walking and driving finally after 30 days post surgery, still going to physical therapy 3x a week.

And, yes, my surgeon is highly qualified and respected. My domino effect of problems were a combination of hospital/therapy errors, and and unexpected "soft bone" found during the surgery. I endured 12 days of in-patient therapy after a 4.5 day hospital stay and practically had to force my way out of there to be allowed to go home.

My case was unusual, though, and you can count on yours being much better with the new anterior approach IF your surgeon is skilled in the technique and the hospital has bought the specialized surgery table for it. Kudoes to those who've had it, loved it, and lived to tell the wonderful tale, LOL!!!

Jan in VA

If you have insurance and a skilled surgeon, and can manage it in your country, DON'T PUT IT OFF! It is so worth going through to have that quality of life without constant pain!!

Jan in VA

Hooray for all the good recoveries! My Mom will be needing a HR soon, and I will definitely tell her about this procedure.

Wish I had known about that before I had a hip replacement. Dr. damaged a nerve and now have a drop foot that caused me to fall 9mos later and broke other hip in 3 places. Still on walker and it has been 6 yrs ago.

hip replacement
 

I just had a hip replacement four weeks ago and feel great! I suffered with the pain for 17 years because primary doctors said they" don't do joint replacements on folks with MS" !!! Finally a nurse practioner sent me to a bone doctor who said that was silly! I had the old procedure because of the damage, but I'm zoomin around with a walker. Any discomfort is a piece of cake after what I suffered before surgery. I think mine was due to all the Prednisone I have had for years of asthma treatment and MS treatment. It really is worth having.

Oh, Bobbi, I am SO very sorry for your situation. And I thought mine was a comedy of errors......

I had a left total hip replacement almost 2 years ago (will be 2 years come May) and had I realized it was my hip and not my back, I would have had it done sooner! Mine was the traditional surgery, and the prosthesis a press-fit. In surgery for 1 hour, and out of the hospital in 3 days. I can't say enought about the skill of my dr. and the care I received from my nurses. Anyone contemplating this procedure, new technology or otherwise, it's worth it to wake up pain free (well, mild incisional discomfort, but I could live with that!)