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My physician for hip resurfacing was Dr. xxxxx. My email
today is about my experience almost 4 years after my
surgery. Before surgery I was a distance runner. I fell on
my left hip in 2004, it wasn't treated, I continued running,
I got arthritis, I needed surgery. I had my surgery in 2008.
I had nothing but problems after my surgery.
Something
stuck in my mind that Dr xxxxx told me after surgery. Dr
xxxxx told me he put in an oversized cup to ensure that I
wouldn't dislocate. From post surgery forward, I've had
nothing but groin pain. Groin pain that never, and I mean
never, went away. Nothing helped. Went back to Dr xxxxx on
numerous occasions and every time he would x-ray, look at me
and say everything was where it was supposed to be and told
me it would eventually go away. Dr xxxxx prescribed
different NSAIDS that did not help. Finally after over 2
years of returned visits I wanted to get help. The more I
move my legs, the more my groin hurt. I tried physical
therapy 3 times. I tried every stretch known to man for the
groin and psoas but nothing worked.
Finally I saw a different, more experienced hip
resurfacing doctor. He suggested getting a cortisone
(steroid) shot in my groin. I wasn't thrilled with that idea
but after dealing with the pain for a few more months I went
for it. Well the shot took the pain away for 1 day. After
the day of the shot, the tightness and pain was right back.
In the time since my surgery, I have looked at and
accumulated a large library of medical articles about groin
pain after hip resurfacing. There are a lot of articles out
there. I found that persistent groin pain is caused by
mainly 2 things. One is loose components, the other is
oversized actebular cup. Back I went to my doctor and he
showed me on my x-ray where the cup was hanging out
(oversized) and he told me I had 2 options: Get the cup
placed correctly (not an option he would suggest first) or
have the psoas tendon released. I was sent to another
surgeon who had experience in this procedure as it pertains
to hip replacement. I saw the doctor and he had only
performed 3 psoas tendon release surgeries as it pertained
to hip replacement. I would be the 1st that had had hip
resurfacing to have this procedure.
The surgery was Dec 12th 2011. My doctor said that the
psoas was rubbing on the implant and that he felt this
surgery would correct my problem. I am almost a month
removed from the surgery and although I am still sore, my
flexibility has vastly improved. Feels like a huge weight
was taken off my groin.
I'm in physical therapy now and the recovery will take 6
to 9 months. I feel like I'm seeing a light at the end of
this tunnel. What did I learn from all this? Go to a
surgeon with vast experience. You want something done, go to
the best or most experienced doctor. The other thing, if
your pain doesn't go away, get another opinion. Pain is no
fun and groin pain in an adult male is really no fun!!
Thanks for listening
Mitch |
