RE: Hip aspiration--or aspiration arthrogram

June 1, 2004

It's just uncomfortable. You lie on a table and they numb you near the groin

with Novocaine or something else. Then they insert a needle through your groin

into the hip capsule. If they are really sadists, they try to get the needle up

under the femoral cap. While they are doing this, they observe where the needle

is on an X-ray machine. (Unfortunately for me, they lower the machine on the

needle and drove it down to the bone. They then had to get a replacement

needle.)

Even though you are numbed in that area, they are probing pretty deep with that

needle and it can be " uncomfortable. " It took about 45 minutes to an hour for

them to finish, and I had every muscle in my body tense for that hour.

Afterwards, I was breathless and exhausted. In addition, I was sore where they

inserted the needle. I had my revision surgery about two weeks later, and I was

still sore where they inserted the needle. I'm going to guess that the area

remained sore or sensitive for at least a month or two.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but you asked. Of course, this was my

experience, and the procedure was done by an intern. Perhaps an experienced

doctor can make it more pleasant. I will say one thing. It was when I was

lying on that table during the hip aspiration when I realized that I could

survive another hip surgery. Up until that moment, I was at my wits end

thinking I could never go through the surgery again after having just done it

one year earlier.

Good luck.

From: eleanor

To: surfacehippy

Date: Sat, 29 May 2004 07:35:36 +0100

Subject: Hip aspiration--or aspiration arthrogram

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June 1, 2004

Dear ph,

Thanks for this. Better to know. Hopefully, I will not get an intern.

Will also ask for as strong as possible local anaesthetic and cite your

experience of tenseness and soreness. This is assuming that if the

anaesthetic had been stronger, it might have been better for you?

Also, ph, although I know you have written about it here, I've

forgotten what went wrong for you? I'd be grateful if you could remind

me, even though I know that this sort of correspondence always make

scary reading for others. It is important for everyone to know that

this sort of thing happening is extremely rare.

Did the arthrogram show an infection for you? Why was your revision so

soon after the arthrogram? If you did have an infection, did they not

try antibiotics for some time? (Although since you were operated on

quickly, it must have shown something else.) When did you start getting

difficulties with your hip? Were they always there from the start, or

did they appear at a later date?

And, on a pedantic note-what is the 'aspiration' bit of the arthrogram?

What does 'aspiration' mean? I am so non-medical.

It was also useful to know how it changed your feelings towards a

further op. That is the bit that does unnerve me, the possibility of

another op, and I was in tears after the consultation when my OS said

that this could be on the cards. I guess one just gets on with it, as

you and have done.

And, finally, after writing all this, guess what-my hip has been feeling

a bit better for the past week! Much less pain at night, though pain is

still there. I still haven't been given a date for this test, so now

I'm thinking that waiting for it might be good, and give a chance to see

if this small improvement is a blip or will continue. It is all so

confusing.

Eleanor

Hip aspiration--or aspiration arthrogram

_______________________________________________

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June 2, 2004

My dentist had found an infection under a root canal, and after she pulled the

tooth, my surgeon ordered the hip aspiration to check for an infection. This

was done in preparation for my revision surgery. He said that if they found and

infection " all bets were off. " I took that to mean no revision but the removal

of the implant and the insertion of a " spacer " for 4-6 weeks while they tried to

clear up the infection with antibiotics. Believe me, infection is the last thing

you want to be wrong with you. I think any other hip failure is preferable.

Aspiration just means the extraction of a substance (in this case synovic fluid)

using a needle a needle. You can have many things in your body aspirated. The

arthrogram probably just means they are using X-rays to guide the needle. The

X-ray machine takes pictures at sequences during the procedure. The quality of

the X-ray on the screen isn't as good as what you get with X-ray films but it

doesn't have to be for this procedure. By the way, if the fluid comes out

clear, that's a good sign. If it comes out black, that's not a good sign.

Also, if there is not a lot of fluid, that is also a good sign. An infection

will usually cause there to be more fluid in the hip capsule.

In my case the surgeon suspected a fracture of the femoral neck, but my problem

turned out to be AVN of the femoral neck and head that caused the femoral

component to become loose. You can read the whole story and see the X-rays at

http://www.bananarepublican.info/Hip_Surface_Replacement.htm

I saw your other post where you complained about a lot of pain after the

surgery. I also had a lot of pain--after both surgeries. With the first

surgery the pain would be so intense the first week that I would shake

uncontrollably until the pain medication kicked in. So I don't think it is that

abnormal to suffer greatly after the surgery.

From: eleanor [mailto:

moneyhill@...] To: surfacehippy Date: Sat, 29

May 2004 07:35:36 +0100 Subject: Hip aspiration--or

aspiration arthrogram

_______________________________________________No b

_______________________________________________

No banners. No pop-ups. No kidding.

Make My Way your home on the Web - http://www.myway.com

June 2, 2004