I'd like info on Aseptic Necrosis.?

Question

While recovering from a shattered hip and dislocated femur, I have developed aseptic necrosis, (the bone in my hip is dying due to damaged blood vessels). The doctors want to try a bone graph. What is the recovery time for something like this and is it painful? Should I insist on a total hip replacement? I am only in my 40's.

Answer 1

Unless the area of necrosis is quite small you might want to go ahead with the hip replacement. My gut feeling is that if you did the bone graph that you would still have significant pain and you would end up having a second operation soon anyways.  Are you being seen by an expert orthopedist and not just a general orthopedist able to do this type surgery?  I'd go to a nearby teaching medical school and seek out an expert for a second opinion as to which surgery would have the best long term satisfaction. Can they do anything similar to micro fracture surgery (drilling tiny holes to stimulate new blood supply) to the damaged bone?  There is no easy answer but I would ask a lot of questions before I did anything. A few weeks seeking out other views will not cause you any long term problems but might be what you need to give you a better solution.  good luck