HIp fusion compared to hip replacement surgery

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I had a hip fusion done ten years ago in Toronto when I was fourteen. I have read many of the questions in answers here and I can't help but wonder. When I had my fusion done as I mentioned ten years ago I was in the hospital for almost a month. While everyone else seems to have been in the hospital a week or even less! I find this surprising since after my hip fusion I also had PT for a year and have walked with a cane ever since. My question is this I am going to have my hip replaced some time in the new year ( the actual date had not been set up yet) and I must admit that I am a little frightened especially after some of the horror stories that happened with the last one. Overdosing, losing me somewhere in the hospital after surgery and infection on my last day there. Does anyone know where or could possibly give me an in-depth description of what the surgery (actual time or length) and how long I should be in the hospital. Also the doctor has already told me that I will still have to walk with a cane for the rest of my life, so has this happened to anyone else similiarly(sp?). Thanks.,

-Jocelyn

-- Jocelyn Sinclair (contesica03@yahoo.com), September 19, 2003

Answers

Dear Mrs Sinclair;

What you are talking about having done is a take-down of a hip fusion and a total hip replacement. This is significantly more difficult than a simple total hip replacement. I would recommend you have this done in a high volume joint center by an experienced joint replacement surgeon. The length of your rehabilitation will also be longer than standard and will depend on the condition of you hip and surrounding tissues at the time of your surgery. Finally, take heart! Fusion take-downs can be done safely withvery good results.

Good luck and take care.

-- Marc W. Hungerford, M.D. (mhunger@jhmi.edu), February 06, 2004.


You should visit this website: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/hip/hiprepqa.htm

-- Robert Toussie (Robert Toussie @aol.com), March 15, 2004.

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