I visited Spire last year after an appointment with my GP. I was born with what used to be called “clicky hip”. Unfortunately for me, it was either missed or the test not completed at birth, it was only noticed by my aunty as I started walking. At about 2 years of age mum took me to the GP, it was said I was just a bit lazy and it would correct itself. After a couple of months nothing had changed, and I then had an appointment with a specialist. In June 1976 I had corrective surgery to reset my hip. I was plastered from waist down for almost a year. Unluckily for me, once the plaster had removed, I was playing with my cousin, she dropped me and I broke my femur on the same side as my reset hip.
In my younger years and until the age of around 35, I had no problems with my hip. I then became aware that I was not walking properly and could quite often be in pain after walking any sort of distance. I went back to my GP and had physiotherapy; this did easy the symptoms, but not completely.
I did manage day to day life until the age of 40. I could not walk more than 50 yards without pain, I struggled with simple things such as food shopping and walking my dog. I went to my GP and again had physio at Spire Cheshire. In January 2016 I slipped in the kitchen although I didn’t fall, I jarred my hip. I went back to physio, but this time the physio thought the pain was too severe to be dealt with by physiotherapy. He suggested I see one of the surgeons at the hospital. I took his advice and made an appointment with Mr Pradhan.
At the initial consultation Mr Pradhan explained the options. I was quite shocked, but not surprised he offered to replace my hip. He explained the process of the replacement. He said I could also try an injection in the joint and fully explained this process also.
I went home and thought about the process and what had been offered, I decided to take my partner and daughter back to discuss my options and also for them to see the x-ray, to hopefully understand the severity of the situation and the operation. Mr Pradhan put us all at ease and confirmed I could be awake during the operation, with a spinal block and sedation. We decided as a family it was for the best to get the operation done.
The operation was much easier than I thought. I did have some low blood pressure following the op, but by day 3 or 4 this had corrected itself. I was in very little pain and it was more a stiff feeling than pain. I was scared of using the crutches initially, but the physio on the ward was amazing!
I am now 6 months on from the operation. It has changed my life completely. I am no longer going home from work to sit on the sofa exhausted! I have lost over a stone in weight; I am back swimming and going to the gym. I am currently on the bike at the gym and covering 10k in just less than 20 minutes. I am able to take my daughter clothes shopping without any pain and stopping 4 times every hour for a break!
I have to be honest and say I didn’t want to have the operation at the age of 43, however I know I have made the right decision. Mr Pradhan, the nursing staff and all the team at Spire Cheshire looked after me so well, I could not fault their care. And yes ladies I am back in my heels!
I would highly recommend Spire Cheshire and Mr Pradhan to anyone.
Mr Pradhan’s response
Mrs Fogg is one of the many young patients that I see in my clinic with hip pain secondary to a dysplastic hip at childhood. It is a difficult decision to proceed with a hip replacement at a young age and it is only after a good discussion with Mrs Fogg and her family and our physiotherapist that we decided to proceed with the total hip replacement.
We performed her surgery through a less invasive procedure giving Mrs Fogg a small scar. The combination of spinal injection anaesthetic with sedation and enhanced recovery protocol followed by physiotherapy has helped Mrs Fogg achieve an early recovery. Mrs Fogg had ceramic bearing for her total hip replacement and it should give her a good outcome at her young age.
Total hip replacement in young patients can give excellent outcome when done for the correct indication with improved function and an improved quality of life.