TonyB
08-03-2003, 06:26 PM
"wickaboag" <wickaboag@charter.net> wrote in message
news:vhvinf1565qhb1@corp.supernews.com...
> I have osteoporosis from taking massive doses of steroids for asthma over
> the last 30 years or so. Recently I was diagnosed with AVN in both hips so
> some kind of hip surgery is definitely in my future. Would be interested
if
> anyone has info as to how much the osteporosis complicates the op and
> recovery. Obviously part of it relates to how advanced both diseases are.
I
> will see my rheumatologist tomorrow and have an ortho consult next month.
I've watched many operations on the "hip" or upper femur in old ladies who
must have been osteoporotic. It is possible for the bone to be so weak that
a successful operation is not possible but in my experience this is rare.
The prosthetic femur is either cemented into place using a powerful glue or
is of the new cementless type which I believe is an interference fit in the
femoral marrow cavity, possibly following reaming out to shape, but I'm not
100% certain about the reaming. ( Any orthopods out there to confirm??)
Loosening of the components is possible afterwards, although this often
takes time to manifest. Fracturing bits off the femur in osteoporotic
patients is also possible but again rare & usually does not affect the
success of the op, in my experience.
I would hope that if you are youngish, say less than 65-70, and have a
reasonable T-Score then you will not have any problems. Of course if your
femoral heads are measured for DEXA then you may get a falsely low reading
so it would be important to know what other sites are doing too, such as
spine or if possible, the femoral shaft.
Anyway, good luck!!
TonyB
>
>
news:vhvinf1565qhb1@corp.supernews.com...
> I have osteoporosis from taking massive doses of steroids for asthma over
> the last 30 years or so. Recently I was diagnosed with AVN in both hips so
> some kind of hip surgery is definitely in my future. Would be interested
if
> anyone has info as to how much the osteporosis complicates the op and
> recovery. Obviously part of it relates to how advanced both diseases are.
I
> will see my rheumatologist tomorrow and have an ortho consult next month.
I've watched many operations on the "hip" or upper femur in old ladies who
must have been osteoporotic. It is possible for the bone to be so weak that
a successful operation is not possible but in my experience this is rare.
The prosthetic femur is either cemented into place using a powerful glue or
is of the new cementless type which I believe is an interference fit in the
femoral marrow cavity, possibly following reaming out to shape, but I'm not
100% certain about the reaming. ( Any orthopods out there to confirm??)
Loosening of the components is possible afterwards, although this often
takes time to manifest. Fracturing bits off the femur in osteoporotic
patients is also possible but again rare & usually does not affect the
success of the op, in my experience.
I would hope that if you are youngish, say less than 65-70, and have a
reasonable T-Score then you will not have any problems. Of course if your
femoral heads are measured for DEXA then you may get a falsely low reading
so it would be important to know what other sites are doing too, such as
spine or if possible, the femoral shaft.
Anyway, good luck!!
TonyB
>
>