Hip replacement needs revision

July 13, 2010 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 39-year-old male. I had a total hip replacement on my left hip in July 1998. I had almost no pain (once it healed) for more than 10 years. Now I have almost constant pain and other sensations that feel as if the prosthetic is popping out or slipping.

My problem now is that the only doctor who will agree to do my revision surgery (the one who did the original replacement) is not a provider with my insurance. I have consulted two other physicians, and they both tell me that I need to wait because the plastic ball part of the prosthetic is not worn enough to warrant having the surgery. At the same time, they tell me that they can’t say for sure what is going on until they open me up.
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Hip replacement can cause one shorter leg

February 24, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: In 2002 I retired as Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan. For many years I had limited my practice to hip and knee replacement. I taught and performed about 3000 hip replacements. With respect to the equal limb length question, there is a time in the surgery when one must choose between hip stability and limb length equality. A ½” longer leg is soon forgotten and functions well. An unstable hip, however, repeatedly dislocates and must be done again. The real problem here is that the surgeon did not inform the patient of the possibility for a ½” difference. I have ordered a ¼” or ½” heel lift but the patients never asked for a repeat order. I hope your answer does not encourage more litigation.
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