hip replacement

[carlyon bay]

I would be grateful if anyone could explain a term on
a recent letter I had from my Consultant Orthopaedic surgeon I have been on this site before regarding my hip briefly I had a metal on metal implant 3 years ago which went horribly wrong as I had an reaction to the chrome and cobalt ions I had it revised some 9 months on but I still continue to have a painful aching hip the surgeon is now considring another hip replacement on the same hip which I am not keen to have, however going back to his letter it said, x-rays show a radiolucent line around the upper half of the femoral stem, can any one explain what this means before I contact him about this
many thanks

[Canary42]

It means he hasn't got a clue how to communicate properly with patients. Sorry I can't help.

[Sqad]

It means that there is an area of erosion or "irritation"

This MAY mean that it is just a local problem OR it may mean that the femoral shaft is not in place and needs readjusting.

Whichever....it is not the best news.

[Old_Geezer]

radiolucent almost entirely transparent to radiation; almost entirely invisible in x-ray photographs and under fluoroscopy.

femoral stem the part of the prosthesis that inserts into the end of the trimmed and prepared femur.

Not a lot of help if you don't know the cosequences though.

[carlyon bay]

THANKS SQAD AND OLD-GEEZER