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From: Bob Weinren@friendlynet.com
Date: 24 Apr 2000
Time: 13:04:48
Remote Name: 208.231.151.45
My wife has been chasing pain in her left abdomen for years. She has had a hysterectomy in 1997, had a 7cm mass grow afterward (ovarian remnant syndrome) had surgery to remove and remained in pain. She has been to the pain Clinic at Cleveland Clinc to no avail and had Doctors laugh or shrug there shoulders. Many x-rays and CAT scan of her left side have been taken with no answers found. Last May her endrocrinologist (sp?) suggested arthritus of the left hip ordered an x-ray and reffered her to an Orthopedic Surgeon. The orthopedic surgeon compared X-Rays and CAT scan from July 1998 with current X-Rays and diagnosed AVN of the left femoral head and ordered a MRI and bone scan. We returned the x-ray and CAT scan to the hopital. At the next appointment we went to the hospital to pick up the 1998 test and MRI and Bone scan. The hospital could not find the 1998 X-Ray and CAT scan but had the MRI and Bone scan. These revealed stage IV AVN on the left side and showed AVN starting on her right side. The cresents of AVN and collapse of her femoral head were apparent in the X-Ray. He explained that the collapsed femoral head was causing her pain. He didn't seem concerned that the hospital lost the 1998 film. He reccomended left hip replacement and suggested that we consult with an Orthopedic specialist at University Hospital in Cleveland about a Fibular Graft for the right hip. The surgeon at University Hospital, after reviewing X-Rays of her left and right hip said to wait on the right hip and felt he could save her left hip with a vascularized fibular graft of her left femoral head. After reviewing the documentation provided it appeared that ahe had about a 70% success chance of success and that this would put off a hip repacemtn on the left side for 5-10 years. On July 16, 1999 she underwent the fibular graft. This called for non weight bearing for six weks to three months. The physical therapist at the hospital reccomended crutches or a walker and wanted her to be up and about as much as possible. On August 23 my wife fell softly while using the walker. Her left femur broke in half. Turns out the graft creates a stress point where the graft hole is drilled. Nobody said be very careful to avoid falling even lightly. It is the end of April now and my wife still doesn't walk with out a walker and uses a wheel chair most of the time and is still in pain in her left groin and her right side is becoming painfull. X-Rays of her left hip show the break is healing but the femoral head still shows collapse which is causing her to be in pain. The surgeon who set the break feels that both hips will need to be replaced. Any comments are welcome. As you can imagine my wife has been through hell for almost one year at this point and things don't seem to be looking good for the future.