Cassidy's Story About Hip Dysplasia Photos Coping in Hospital Reader's Hip Stories Hip Links Cassidy's Views Support Group Guestbook Home
Cassidy's Story
CHAPTER THREE
First surgery
Open/Closed Reduction
We had been given the devastating news that our precious little girl, Cassidy needed surgery as soon as possible. Our new doctor just happened to be accquainted with one of Australia's top Orthopaedic surgeons and he organised the surgery to be performed at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital (RCH), 6 hours from our home. Cassidy had a series of x-rays at the RCH and these determined that the left hip was more severely affected than the right, but that her DDH was bi-lateral, meaning both sides. Both hips were dislocated by about 1 inch. The surgeon was hoping to perform a 'closed reduction' on the right hip -he would try to manipulate the femur back into the hip socket from the outside without operating. He suspected the left hip would require an 'open reduction', meaning he would have to go in surgically, lengthen the ligaments and perform a 'Salter Osteotomy'. Cassidy would then be put into a 'Hip Spica' (plaster cast) extending from underarms to toes for 6 months.
The weeks counted down and in that time we prepared Cassidy for the prospect that she would be going to the big city to have an operation. We told her she had 'sick hips' and that the doctor would make them all better. We explained that she would go to sleep and wake up wearing 'hard pants', which she wouldn't be able to take off. We went into great detail about everything we knew, including pre-operative procedures and how she would cope afterwards at home. We had her tell people all about it, so that the information would sink in as she repeated it.
Finally the day before the operation came and we started our journey to Melbourne. We were nearly there when we noticed a few little spots on Cassy's tummy. By the time we reached Melbourne it was obvious that our little rat had Chicken Pox! Surgery was out of the question and we returned home, deflated.
Not long after the Chicken Pox healed, we were off to Melbourne again. Cassy didn't seem nervous and was soon doing laps of the hospital corridor in the nude -one last bit of freedom. The time came and she was under with no problems. Those few hours in the parents' waiting room seemed like days and we worried intensely about every possible outcome and complication. But we had faith in the surgeon and the RCH.
When our names were called the relief was incredible and with our hearts in our mouths we made our way to the recovery room. Cassidy was on her tummy with her legs casted in a 'parachute jump' position. Tubes came from everywhere or so it seemed! She had a drip for morphine, a catheter, a wound drain and of course the usual monitoring devices attached. She was groggy but managed to wriggle her toes for us. I think she was relieved they were still there!
We were relieved she was still there.
