A female patient underwent a total hip arthroplasty after her cartilage eroded and she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis. Following the surgery, she lost complete mobility and experienced swelling of her leg. A washout of her right hip was performed the next day, and her loss of mobility and numbness in her leg and foot was attributed to swollen nerves in her hip. She was still experiencing problems with her hip nearly a year later, and claimed her complications were due to a lack of standard of care on the surgeon’s part during the hip replacement history.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. Do you routinely perform hip arthroplasties on your patients?
2. Are you familiar with complications following a hip arthroplasty, including loss of mobility and swelling?
Expert Witness Response E-015646
In my professional opinion, it seems like there may have been an acute hematoma that was washed out and causing complications. It does not seems clear, however, what her current symptoms would indicate one year out from the surgery.
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