Nerve damage post hip replacement surgery

Very Healthy 59 year old swimmer gets total right hip replacement due to AN - new leg was 1.15 inches too long - and then the complications and the pain began. Large hematoma at day 16 - two operations to close - revsion done at three months- looking for infection - none found - and now am unable to put any weight on the leg due to groin pain - and any movement sets off spasms in the right leg - excruciating pain drops me to my walker handles - must be very careful and deliberate to roll over in bed without engaging spasms. Just had new bone scan and CT hip aspiration done - no indication of infection - so I'm being sent from my orthopedist (head of the department of one of the leading hospitals in the SE) to find an internist to figure it out. Can you say frustrated and in pain?

I took lyricia for nerve pain 100 mgs & a physical therapist ws the one that told me about it, worked gret but I ws in a fog so now take gabapentin 300 mgs twice a day, more alert but have some dizziness once in awhile. My numb foot & partial leg will be like this forever & I had a brace made just for me by the orthotic & prosthetic place & wear it all day, really quite comfortable also had one made to wear at night. It amazed me how much of this info I had to find out myself. This is for the person who had surgery 1/30/09. Get second options also see neurologist. Good Luck, my surgery ws 6/3/08

Hey People
Just had surgery in 1/09...foot droped...pins & needles...stabing pains etc.
Has any body been able to reverse these problems. Also any body know about a good drug to kill the pain to aleast be able to walk on this foot.
Please contact at _[removed]_


I thought I was the only one with shitty luck.

I am a 51 yr old female and had right side THR on November 18, 2008. I have numbness and sensitive feeling to my toes and bottom of my foot. Along with numbness on the back of my thigh from the incision sight down to the back of my knee. At times I have "electrical shock" feelings in my thigh. I have regained movement to my foot but my ankle always feels weak. The doctor told my husband there had been complications during surgery and instead of the standard 1 1/2 hours it took 4 hours to fix my hip.

My question is, has anyone talked to a lawyer and if so what advise were you given? I am angry and depressed about what has happend.

So sorry for what you are going thru, I also had a hip replacement 6/3/08. My foot is numb, up the left side of my leg is numb to my knee & also the back of my leg is very sensitive. I take Gabapentin 300 mg, twice a day for the pain. It really helps most of the time. I tryed Lyrica but was in such a fog I cldnt function. I went to an orthotic prostethic place & they made a special brace that I wear everyday but it prevents my foot from droping. Insist your Dr write you a prescreption for this. I walk w/a cane but manage guite well. My surgeon informed me this is permanent. Good Luck, Marilyn

I too had a total hip replacement a little over a year ago and am dealing with severe neve damage - numbness of my feet; they're purple and red; on fire; shooting pains; swollen and, by the end of the day, I can hardly stand it. I have yet to see a doctor, but thanks to these posts, I will. I need some kind of relief.

Funny thing - one thing that makes it feel better is rubbing "Absorbine Jr." on them. It helps me the most when I'm trying to get to sleep at night. It hurts so much that I can't lay still enough to fall asleep.

My best to everyone. I hope we all get better soon.

Where can i find Angus Williams? I used to see him for physical therapy but i lost touch and he moved.

I had a total right hip replacement on May 12, 2009. I had a lot of the same symptoms as posted. I have been on line constantly and I find that there are a lot more people having nerve damage than I ever would have imagined. I have learned a lot in the past 6-8 weeks. I am going to a PT and my hip is doing really well and I have recovered my strength in the leg and now can walk up and down the stairs with both feet and can walk fairly good but I have a slight foot drop which in the past two weeks has gotten better according to the PT. She recommended that I get an EMG test to see where the nerve damage impairment is located. My family doctor is making an appointment for me in the next few days and then I will hopefully know where the nerve entrapment or damage is. My surgeon told me at my 6 week visit that my foot would come back and that he was positive. Because of the time frame on nerve damage one can not sit idly by as the weeks tick off and my nerve damage becomes permanent. I will report back when I have the results. I already went through the excruciating pain and now part of the foot is numb. I can move my toes, heel back and forth and some forward movement Because it is my right foot I would not be able to drive ever again and I am not willing to give up on that privilege. I hope this post helps someone else and I will come back and post any improvements as I get them. rosyb

Hi: I know it's quite a while since you posted this but felt I had to respond, especially because of your description of a 'wet sock', which I absolutely relate to. I've had huge problems since my resurfacing 2 years ago and after many, many tests, my consultant is still saying it had nothing to do with the surgery. Rubbish! Oh, and I've just been told I've developed ARVAL - a rare reaction to the hip component, which causes increased levels of ions and localised nerve and muscle damage. I'm due to have it replaced with a ceramic model next month. Everyone is suddenly very interested after years of me trying to convince them something is really not right here.

:? my dad had total hip replacement on the right side on may 19,2009 he was given a spinal and the surgery lasted about 3 hours the surgeon came out and said everything was fine. when my sisters and i went to his room he was very disoriented and knowed none of us we was told for 3 days that nothing was wrong just a little dehydrated on the 4th day he coded and was taken to to the icu he suffered congestive heart failure acute renal failure and we was never told about the nerve damage (drop foot) until therapy tryed to get get him up when they moved him back to a step down unit now the surgeoon is trying to say that it was there before he done the surgery and numerous other excuses.. I would like to have everyones opionion of what u would do lawsuit or not?

"I had a total right hip replacement on May 12, 2009. I had a lot of the same symptoms as posted. I have been on line constantly and I find that there are a lot more people having nerve damage than I ever would have imagined. I have learned a lot in the past 6-8 weeks. I am going to a PT and my hip is doing really well and I have recovered my strength in the leg and now can walk up and down the stairs with both feet and can walk fairly good but I have a slight foot drop which in the past two weeks has gotten better according to the PT. She recommended that I get an EMG test to see where the nerve damage impairment is located. My family doctor is making an appointment for me in the next few days and then I will hopefully know where the nerve entrapment or damage is. My surgeon told me at my 6 week visit that my foot would come back and that he was positive. Because of the time frame on nerve damage one can not sit idly by as the weeks tick off and my nerve damage becomes permanent. I will report back when I have the results. I already went through the excruciating pain and now part of the foot is numb. I can move my toes, heel back and forth and some forward movement Because it is my right foot I would not be able to drive ever again and I am not willing to give up on that privilege. I hope this post helps someone else and I will come back and post any improvements as I get them. rosyb"


I had the EMG test several weeks ago and followed up with my doctor last week (14 weeks post op). The EMG report showed that I had nerve compression below the knee. The doctor was to contact the neurologist regarding the report. He is still of the opinion that the foot will come back. He said that there are other procedures they could do but wanted to wait to see if it came back on its own rather than putting me through something that might not be necessary. I have another appointment in November and he will decide what I should do. My foot is still numb but I can live with that and I can walk without a cane but I throw my foot out in order to keep my balance. My leg and foot really don't hurt and I can walk enough to get me around. rosyb

Last week Aug. 25th I ordered two products called Dorsi Strap for daytime & Dorsi- Lite for nighttime and have found an improvement in my walking gait as I now do not throw my foot out while wearing them and have noticed in my bare feet I am walking much better. I also had read on a website that if your nerve is recovering to exclude alchohol totally because it inhibits the nerve from healing. I did this two weeks ago and the numbness is slowly going away and I am seeing some improvement in the movement of the foot. Hope this helps



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RBarizona wrote:

I had hip resurfacing done(left) on 8-31-2009.
I was told that the pelvic socket had sustained a crack and that I wouldn't be able to put much weight on it for 6-8 weeks...OK I can live with that I thought to myself... Later that day I noticed that I couldn't feel my left foot nor could I move it. WOW how lucky am I.
When my doctor stopped in later that day and I told him about the foot he looked at me like I was crazy and told me he'd never heard of anything like that.
Yesterday, before I was discharged my Dr. told me the lack of feeling and lack of movement was from a compressed nerve and that it should all be fine soon. I've read every post here and only in a very few cases did the foot ever become normal again..
Yes, we are considering a law suit down the road if things don't change. This is hardly what I would call.." a little temporary numbness might occur "
I'm looking forward to my 1st session of PT on the 8th.
I'll update this as often as I can...any feedback will be appreciated.

There is a doctor on line that actually answers questions that you have and can offer an opinion. I found it very helpful. Good luck to you and more importantly you have to remain positive. I totally believe that my foot will recover and it has been 4 months. Try and be patient. There are people that recover from foot drop and don't bother posting their recovery.

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What kind of doctor is it who can help you? I don't usually like to click on a link without finding out more about it first. Can you let me know?

His name is Doctor Nitin Sethi and he is a neurologist and Assistant Professor of Neurology at New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical Center. Clicking on this link you will see some info on foot drop and his answers to other people. There is no obligation to him. I found it interesting.