Both Hips - Same time

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I have had two very respected surgeons give different opinions on Bilateral THR. One never does both and wants to wait some weeks in between - The other says 10 percent of his THRs are both at same time. Claims somewhat longer and more difficult recovery but safer and easier on the body than separate operations. Also final time to recovery is over-all shorter. I am hoping to do both in mid June and return to work - teacher - in late August. Any thoughts?

-- J McCoy (rmccoy@att.net), February 07, 2003

Answers

IM SCEHEDULED FOR A HIP REPLACMENT IM 40 A CONSTRUCTION WORKER BUT THERE ARE SIGNS OF THE OTHER HIP DETERATING IM WONDERING WHEN IS THE PAIN ENOUGH OR MAYBE IM TO EARLY BUT I CANT STAND UP AND WALK SOMTIMES FOR MINUTES AT A TIME

-- JOE CONTI (loco79joe@AOL.COM), March 01, 2003.

I do not do bilateral total hip replacements at the same time. We operate with the patient lying on his or her side. This would mean that they would be lying on their fresh incision while we were doing the other side. I do not believe this is an acceptable risk. Some surgeons feel comfortable operating with the patient lying on their back. This is a more difficult procedure, however it would be easier to do a bilateral using this approach.

-- Marc Hungerford, M.D. (mhunger@jhmi.edu), March 27, 2003.

Hi Guys,

Just had two hip replacements 5 months apart and the last thing in the world I would suggest would be bilateral surgeries on the same date. You really do need a good leg to stand on and in my case, I had no abductor muscles to hold me up, so I would still be lying in bed like a tad-pole if I had elected to have both done together (not too many surgeons will do 2 hips together for very good reason- I'm one of them!) The surgery is easy and there is very little pain involved. Do yourself a favour and have the first done and then decide when you are physically and mentally ready to tackle another one. ( The second one is much easier since you will be an expert after the first!)

-- christina delottinville (seamoregirl@hotmail.com), October 27, 2003.


I cannot believe surgeons recommend bilateral THRs. How in the world would the postop patient even get out of bed ? I just went through one and with extreme minimal care, in a so-called rehab hospital, I had to use Thera-Band elastic to throw around the foot of the affected leg, just to either get it in or out of the bed since abductor muscles obviously weren't healed yet. Unless the patient has 24 hour help, I cannot imagine the recovery.

-- Anna Sargent (a.sargent@cox.net), December 19, 2003.

I am very interested in how this turned out for you - I too have two different options and two very different opinions. Still haven't decided which way to go and all input gratefully received.

-- j. hutchins (jhutchins@cbt.org), November 16, 2004.


I have just returned from Belgium and had bilateral hip resurfacing by Dr. De Smet. My procedure took two hours - one hour each side and I was up and walking with crutches independently 40 hours post-op. Seven days post-op and I was taking a cab to town to site-see and was able to walk fairly far and climb stairs with crutches. I have muscles aches and pains and occasional swelling but other than that I am pain free in my joints and very, very happy. -Diana Kate

-- Diana Kate (polydk@hotmail.com), January 01, 2005.

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