Well May 7th saw me back at UBC for my follow up appointment after my hip scoping (arthroscopy). The surgeon said I tolerated the procedure well and asked me if I remember him talking to me afterwards haha! Of course I didn't as I was still so out of it from the meds but he said most people don't remember so I feel normal!
After reading the report this was the outcome:
Inspection revealed evidence of grade 1 with a small area of grade 2 chondrosis in the anterosuperior aspect of the femoral head. The remainder of the femoral head appeared in tact.
There was a degenerative tear of the anterosuperior labrum. At the 12 o'clock position, there was a 5mm bucket handle component in the peripheral zone of the labrum, this was debrided with a combination of arthroscopic basket forceps as well as an throscopic shaver. The area of anterosuperior acetabulum had an area of grade 4 chondrosis directly adjacent to the labrum. There was some peripheral fraying of the labrum and this was debrided back to a stable base.
The acetabulum had a region of grade 4 chondrosis, which extended from the 10 o'clock to the 1230 position on the acetabulum over a width of 8 mm. The remaining chondral surface on the acetabulum was intact.
Once the debridement was completed, the arthroscope was utilized to thoroughly irrigate the hip with sterile normal saline. The incision was closed with 3.0 Monocryl. Steri-strips were applied. The hip injected with 20cc of 0.5% Bupivacaine. The patient was then extubated and taken to the recovery room in stable condition. There were no complications during the procedure and the patient tolerated the procedure well.
So in English what that boiled down to was that there was a tear and there isn't a lot of cartilage there due to the arthritis. He wasn't sure how enthusiastic the next surgeon was going to be in regards to performing the Osteotomy because of this. He said he may want to do a full hip replacement instead, but that only that surgeon would know as that is his field.
So now the reality is, I could be looking at a hip replacement after all, which was not my first choice. The good news with a replacement is that the recovery time is half, with 6 mos recovery. You are full weight bearing after the first day as opposed to crutches and no weight bearing for 3 mos with the osteotomy. It will come with some limitations though such as the 90* bend, no crouching on floor in lower cupboards and that it can be dislocated if not careful. Those details I will conquer once I get the final word on which direction we will be going. For now, I will continue to work the rehab at home in regards to the scoping to get the area and muscles as strong as I can for the next phase.
I will call the surgeon who will be performing the big operation tomorrow and give them a heads up now on the report. If I am lucky I could be turning around in a month and heading back to Vancouver and finally getting some relief from all the pain. How ever it turns out, I hope it is sooner than later as it already feels like more than a year in pain!
Stay tuned for more updates as they become available! As for me, I will be researching all of those big words from the operative report and googling images to help understand better! ( Even spell check didn't recognize those big words haha!)
DIAGNOSIS - HIP DYSPLASIA
I decided to start this Blog as a way of sharing and educating others as well as keeping my friends and family updated on my progress.In the Spring of my 37th year, I started having severe groin pain which eventually deferred into my left knee. There were days when I could barely walk 1/2 a block with a cane. Simple daily chores and personal care became very difficult to perform. I had xrays and a CT scan where we discovered that I have Hip Dysplasia. I tried pain medication while waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon locally. After my visits to the surgeon, he referred me to another orthopedic surgeon for an Osteotomy. These were only performed in Vancouver or Calgary in Canada. I chose Vancouver for a matter of convenience and so that my family could visit easier.I have an awesome surgeon who performed the Osteotomy on my left hip. Preparation for this surgery involved xrays, and trips to Vancouver for workshops, working with physiotherapists, the surgical team, several nurses and the anestheisiologist. The outcome has been phenomenal! I got my life back and the pain is gone! I will, however, require hip replacement surgery on this hip further down the road. My right hip will need surgery also.
HIP DYSPLASIA: an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, or acetablum and the thighbone or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Hip dysplasia can exist from birth or can develop within the first few weeks, years or later in life. 80% of people with DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) are females.
Depending on the severity of the situation, this can result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life.
For more information, check out this link http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia.htm
HIP DYSPLASIA: an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, or acetablum and the thighbone or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Hip dysplasia can exist from birth or can develop within the first few weeks, years or later in life. 80% of people with DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) are females.
Depending on the severity of the situation, this can result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life.
For more information, check out this link http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia.htm
Sunday, May 10, 2009
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