Kidney and Urinary Troubles Haunt Patients After a Total Hip Replacement

There have been several cases against hip implant manufacturer because of the complications experienced by patients who have had a Metal-on-Metal hip implant, medical news reports say. About eight in 41 patients who have undergone a hip replacement surgery developed renal problem, according to a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, although there were no cases of renal failure among the study group. This rings true to other people because of the many men and women who have suffered with renal problems. Hip implants recipients are filing complaints because of the allegedly severe renal complications they have encountered.

There are many people who have experienced urinary retention and urinary tract infection. Difficulty in voiding may be one of the side effects of anesthesia. Although this problem may go away on its own, patients may be subjected to have a catheter inserted for a day or two until the sensation to void has returned. If the patient still has problems passing urine then a urologic expert may need to check for other possible causes. Elderly patients, on the other hand, are prone to develop urinary tract infections. Thus, health care providers avoid using the catheter for long periods of time among patients because it may lead to the introduction of microorganisms to the urinary tract.

However, there is one case that was reported to have caused the death of the patient. Pre-existing kidney problems may decrease the prognosis after the hip replacement operation as with the case of Kay Klien, according to the article from the Daily Mail Online. There is also a study that pointed to the link between hypotension and acute renal failure following the total hip replacement surgery. Health experts believe that nephrotoxic drugs used after the operation may also contribute to the occurrence of acute renal failure. The Food and Drug Administration has also listed renal function impairment as one of the hypersensitivity reactions that patients may encounter due to the wear particles released by the Metal-on-Metal hip implants.

Patients who have compromised renal function may be contraindicated to undergo a total hip replacement surgery. The kidney acts as the blood’s filtering area and most of the unwanted metal particles from the hip implant are excreted through the help of the kidney. Thus, the kidney may be affected by the metal ions from the implant. Renal problems are one of the complaints filed in court by MoM patients together with their Biomet lawyer.

URL References:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21507606

keggiorthosurgery.com/Complications_of_Hip_and_Knee_Surgery.php

dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1394300/NHS-hip-operation-mother-died-Daughters-harrowing-account.html

jbjs.org/article.aspx?articleid=17752

fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Safety/AlertsandNotices/ucm335775.htm

Dislocation Remains to be a Concern in THR Operation

 Total hip replacement procedure replaces the diseased hip joint that causes pain with an artificial hip joint, health care providers say, but there still a number of possible health risks like dislocation after the operation. The disarticulation of the implanted hip is one of the common problems experienced after the surgery, according to the article from the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, this problem still occurs even with the increasing knowledge on this procedure. Several factors come into play such as the gender and age of individuals that increases the probability of the ball going out of the socket, which often ensues during the first few months after the hip operation.

For patients who have had the operation, the disarticulation of the hip joint is the first problem that they may encounter but it remains to be underreported because of inadequate investigation. The flexion, abduction and internal rotation of the hip may cause this problem, especially when the hip is moved in extreme positions. Some of these cases remain undetected because patients fail to report it as there are no symptoms and limitations associated with the disarticulation, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Activities of daily living are taught to patients in order for them to use their new hip properly and avoid dislocating it.

Researchers continue to study the causes of hip displacement among patients who have undergone such procedure. There is a better chance of preventing disarticulation in a 36-mm femoral head articulation compared to a 28-mm femoral head articulation. This study supports earlier studies indicating the importance of the size of the femoral head in preventing hip displacements. Higher rates of dislocation was also found among individuals who have undergone the posterior approach.

Patients are advised to consider all possible options before going through surgery.In some cases, the displacement may be easily remedied by a closed reduction operation to put the ball back into place. A revision surgery may be recommended by the surgeon if it becomes a recurring problem. The repeated surgery to correct the dislocated hip may have affected the lives of patients. A Biomet lawyer was even contacted by some of them to represent them in court.

URL References:

jmedicalcasereports.com/content/3/1/8956

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2254669/

medscape.com/viewarticle/589084

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2739467/