Hip Arthroscopy v THR

Sarah01

Morning everyone,

Saw the surgeon on Thursday regarding my FAI and osteoarthritis in the hip. The steroid injection I had hasn't worked and I now have to make a decision in the next few days on whether to have the arthroscopy or THR. There is a small amount of joint space left to have the arthroscopy and although I am only 42, he is more than happy to give me a THR.

My decision has not been made easier by the fact that my surgeon was 50/50 on both procedures. Would be great to hear from those who have had either one of the procedures done to get a better understanding before I make my decision.

Thank you

Sarah

dreamdaisy

An arthroscopy won't cure the problem as such, it will delay the fitting of a new hip is all. If you are being offered a new joint at such a young age then that is a good thing, why have another year or so of not much benefit when you could have a shiny new joint? I have to wait for at least another year before I get my knees (I was told aged 52 I would have to be 55) and the deterioration in my knees over the waiting time is horrendous - it's also led to OA in my right hip, the left is beginning to decline too. I would say go for the new joint, get it done and dusted so you can return to living a better quality of life. DD

elainebadknee

Sarah

I don;t know about hips but when my arthritis in my left knee got so bad and I had had steriod injections, arthroscopies and nothing helped I knew I needed a new knee and had to push for it as I was the same age as you when it all came to a head (am now 45 had my op last year). I think if your surgeon is more than happy to operate and give you a THR, he must be confident of the outcome for you and that to me is a good sign.
Of course there is lots more things for you to consider that we don;t know about - your home life/work life but it's sounding very much to me as if you need not to have the operation that will not help you short or long term...I hope you come to the right decision for you..

Update us?

Elainexx

stickywicket

I doubt this will help but I've had two very good THRs and, until recently, hadn't heard of a satisfied customer for arthroscopies. However, I've since found two or three. Your surgeon is the best guide and, if he doesn't know, I've no idea how you are supposed to choose.

Sarah01

Thank you ladies for your responses :-)

Sorry for the late reply to your posts, I took a few days out to mull over the options given to me as I had to ring my surgeon and give him my decision.

I have decided to have the THR. I feel it is the best option for me, as DD said, I am being offered a shiny new joint and I will have a better quality of life. Did some research on hip arthroscopies and the failure rate outweighs the success rate. I also took into account that as soon as the right hip is done he will do the left hip. Better to have 2 operations rather than 4 (if I had arthroscopy on both first).

I feel much better then I did at the weekend now I have told the surgeon my decision and I now await the operation, which he said, will be sometime around Christmas/New Year.

Sarah xx

dreamdaisy

It's good to hear from you again and, for what it's worth, I think you have made the right decision. (I know, I know, I am not a doc. )

Of course things won't be easy once the op is done (as far as the surgeons are concerned their patient is 'fixed' as soon as they leave theatre) but I reckon that the benefit will outweigh the time spent in recovery and recuperation. Now remains the task of ensuring that the relevant muscles are as strong as they can be to assis that R&R.

Good luck, I wish you well and please let us know how things progress. DD

Sarah01

Hi DD,

Thank you for your reply :-)

I will keep you posted on my development and once the op has been carried out on how I am progressing.

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

I think you made the right decsion and if you get it done before christmas then you should recover really well I think its between 3 - 6 months (correct me if I'm wrong guys)...You are younger and that should work in your favour....Can I offer one bit of advice, if you are not keen on spinal/epidural then ask for a general? I did this cos didn;t want to know a thing till after the op and so glad I did cos others didn't and said they wished they had...
Hope you get a date very soon missus!

Elainexx

barbara12

Hello Sarah
Going off my experience I am now3 months post THR, you are being the right decision..I had all the injections, 4 times and the arthroscopy , but none of them worked..I am so glad I had this THR...I am due to have the other one done when I am ready...good luck with it all.xx

Sarah01

Hi Elaine and Barbara,

Thank you for your reply. I am hoping it will be within the next 10 weeks (so they say), however, got home from work tonight and I had a letter from the hospital. Inside was information regarding what to expect from arthroscopic surgery...!!! Little confused as I informed them I had decided on the THR. Have emailed the surgeon's secretary and asked them to ring me tomorrow to confirm that this was sent in error and I am down for the THR not the arthroscopy.

Thanks for the advice on the GA Elaine. I was intending to have that, don't fancy being awake during the op. My friend's father had his THR awake with the spinal. Said all he could feel was the tugging but no pain. Still don't fancy it.....

Will update tomorrow if they ring me back

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

I am only telling you about the GA as I was really nervous pre op and when in the ward afterwards people told me they could hear things during surgery - well I was so glad they knocked me out cos that would have caused me anxiety....So I am just passing on some advice...
Hope that letter was sent in error? I hope also you have your op within the next 10 weeks, the sooner your'e out of pain the better.

Elainexx

barbara12

Sarah01 wrote:

Hi Elaine and Barbara,

Thank you for your reply. I am hoping it will be within the next 10 weeks (so they say), however, got home from work tonight and I had a letter from the hospital. Inside was information regarding what to expect from arthroscopic surgery...!!! Little confused as I informed them I had decided on the THR. Have emailed the surgeon's secretary and asked them to ring me tomorrow to confirm that this was sent in error and I am down for the THR not the arthroscopy.

Thanks for the advice on the GA Elaine. I was intending to have that, don't fancy being awake during the op. My friend's father had his THR awake with the spinal. Said all he could feel was the tugging but no pain. Still don't fancy it.....

Will update tomorrow if they ring me back

Sarah xx

Sarah just to say I had an epidural and sedation I was asleep all the time and was woken up quite quickly with no sickness feeling...they should have a chat about this once you have had your preop..

Sarah01

Hi Elaine and Barbara,

I hope what I said didn't cause offence re the GA, I meant to say that I had decided to go with that...I'm not too good with words as you can see

Well I spoke to the hospital today and apparently I am having the arthroscopy. The surgeon had updated his records and had not included the fact that he gave me the option. As far as they were concerned there was no mention of a THR during my appointment with him which took me and my husband by surprise as the surgeon went into great detail about both. Needless to say I was not happy about this. I was then told by his secretary that if I wanted to discuss this I had to make a further appointment. So, I called the appointment line, told them the situation and they have left a message for him to call me. They have also put me in to see him a week on Friday in case he does not call me.

Still not happy I emailed the secretary again and told her that I was concerned that I was down for the arthroscopy when I had specifically said THR. She called me and I asked her if she had told him my decision and her reply was "I told him that you had agreed to the surgery". but not the fact that I wanted the THR. I have to ring the admissions dept tomorrow to find out which operation I am down for as well.

So now I have to wait to speak to him to get this cleared up, which will no doubt prolong my waiting time for the surgery (whichever they decide to go with).....!!!!!

Thanks for the info Barbara, I will see what they say once they sort out which operation I am having :?

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

That doesn't sound promising that you and your husband had a conversation, dscussed which surgery you wanted then the surgeon appears to have been in la la land and sends you out a letter for the opposite of what you wanted? Then you have to make another appointment for his mistake? No, your husband was there too, he should get in touch with you, call you....
Not a great start eh?

Elainexx

elainebadknee

Barbara

I went to same hospital as you and was offered sedation was glad didn't as too many said they had had it and had heard stuff they shouldn't have...Was glad i opted for GA..

Elainexx

Sarah xx[/quote]
Sarah just to say I had an epidural and sedation I was asleep all the time and was woken up quite quickly with no sickness feeling...they should have a chat about this once you have had your preop..[/quote]

Sarah01

Hi Elaine,

Nope, not a great start at all and I totally agree with you. I have a feeling that he has mistaken me for someone he saw earlier when he wrote his notes up. There were a few of us in for the hip arthrogram on the same day and we were all given the same date to come back and see him. If he has mistaken me with someone else then it is not a good sign :shock:

The surgeon is on leave and not back till Friday. I spoke to the admissions unit and they don't have me down for anything it just keeps getting better and better :roll:

They are going to speak to the surgeon too so here's hoping he calls me. My husband is away at the moment which is a good thing as he went ballistic when I called him. I think if he had been home he would have driven to the hospital and demanded to see someone.

I am hoping that I will be able to update this on Friday with some good news

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

I know they see a lot of patients but if it were me I'd be thinking did anything I dscussed with him go in and get processed or was he just not listening to me? He cant have mistaken you for someone else maybe he has filled in a form and ticked the box for you in the wrong category? I thought every time I went to see a consultant I heard them spekaing into a dictaphone as soon as I left the room saiying what had happened...
Hope you have better news by friday soon, let us know?

Elainexx

Sarah01

Hi Elaine,

The surgeon called me. I asked him if we had discussed both operations and he said yes!! I asked him if he left me with the decision on which operation to go for and he said yes!!

I told him I had rung his secretary and told her that I wanted the THR and that I was sent information on arthroscopy. To cut a long story short, I am now down for the THR

So fingers crossed that the next information leaflet I receive is all about THRs and not arthroscopy.

I feel better knowing everything is now sorted and I just have to wait now for confirmation of the date for the op

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

Its good to hear from you and great to hear that this was sorted out via a phone call with the surgeon. I guess we are all humans and mistakes can be made it's just that letter was a bit of an unexpected surprise for you eh?
Do you think you will get surgery before crimbo now? It would be good if you could as we are probably in for quite a mild winter compared to last year when i got discharged post TKR the ground was frosty when I was walking round my cul-de-sac with me sexy white stockings...!
Let us know when you hear of any word of surgery please, I would be interested to know of your progress?

All the best!

Elainexx

barbara12

Oh Sarah..its awful when the con sultans don't listen or don't read the notes..Im glad you have gone for the THR...and really do wish you well with it...xx

Sarah01

Hi Elaine and Barbara,

Apologies for the delay in replying to you both, I haven't been too well. I have had a letter from the hospital with my date for a pre-op assessment with the physio prior to my hip replacement, yes the letter said HR, which was a relief. My appointment is on 14 November. To answer your question Elaine I'm not sure when the op will be. I don't know how long after seeing the physio I will have the op. The surgeon did say around Xmas time so I will have to wait and see

Sarah xx

elainebadknee

Sarah

Ah right you need extra physio before the op, not heard of that before but guess it would make the joint extra strong/in best shape? I really hope you do get your op before crimbo....New year, new hip..

Elainexx