My hippy surgery

SURGERY NUMBER ONE(SEPT 13TH 2010)
I had my first hip surgery Sept 13th to correct a labral tear and to correct a tight hip flexor.  The reason my surgeon did this surgery first is because it was the least invasive surgery.  It is arthroscopic  so I just have two small  scars the size of a dime.  The surgery only takes about an hour, then I can go home to recover.  The recovery is also relatively quick.  4 months for most people.  Not for me though because my hip still hurts.

SURGERY NUMBER TWO (TO BE SCHEDULED)
The next surgery I am talking to my surgeon about is for my impingement called FAI surgery.  This is the second least invasive surgery.  It is more invasive than the first surgery bc the surgeon has to take your leg out of your hip socket and scrap out all your cartilage, shave off some bone, then put your hip back in.  This surgery can be done arthroscopic or open.  If it is not an open surgery then you can go home after surgery.

SURGERY NUMBER THREE (hopefully dont need this) 

If that doesn't work there is a third surgery option for me to correct my dysplasia.  This surgery is called Periacetabular Osteotomy (PAO).   Surgery 2 and 3 can be done at the same time but since my my dysplasia is not really bad (just bad enough to cause a ton of pain though ) my surgeon is hoping that the impingement surgery will work.  For a PAO surgery the pelvis and hip socket is broken and then pined back together as seen in the photo above.  This is an open surgery.  There will be a big scar and it is more risky.  There is more loss of blood.  The hospital stay is about one week.

SURGERY NUMBER FOUR (hopefully dont need this) 
If surgery number 3 happens then surgery number 4 needs to happen to remove all the pins.  Petite and / or thin patients have the most problems with the pins because the pins poke out through the skin and are painful.  You can see the pins too.  Also when it is cold out they will ache.  Another surgery needs to be performed to remove the pins. 

SURGERY NUMBER FIVE (will need someday) 
Hip replacement surgery is inevitable for me and other patients with my condition.  Many patients get the hip replacement at around age 35 which is the minimum age surgeons want to do a total hip replacement.  The reason you need to wait to get a hip replacement is because your body, or pelvis, cannot support a hip replacement forever.  It is possible your hip socket or pelvis will give out and you will be in a wheel chair in 40 years.  At 75 you don't want to be in a wheel chair.

ALTERNATIVE TO SURGERY NUMBER FIVE (alternative to delay a hip replacement longer or forever) 
There is a new surgery out as an alternative to a hip replacement called resurfacing.   This option is suppose to be less stressful on your body and it gives a tighter fit to the hip socket.  This means it is less likely to dislocate, meaning, many patients can still go snowboarding, play tennis, or basketball.  These activities are not really an option with a total hip replacement.