Failed Total Shoulder Replacement due to Sjogrens????

[Jenny]

Three years ago I had a shoulder replacement surgery.  Pain as expected during recovery and PT. Then I had full range of motion and NO pain for about two years. Earlier this year it started hurting and getting worse and worse monthly. Due to the metal, we couldn?t get good xray images but due to where it hurt we expected a Rotator Cuff tear. So I go to what was supposed to be a one or two hour surgery this past Tuesday, but woke up 6 hours later. The doctor took samples to pathology to make sure that I didn?t have an infection, and instead it showed that I had Giant white blood cells in the area. The white cells had prevented any new bone from growing around the implant, so eventually it started breaking up. My doctor feels this was likely caused by Sjogrens Syndrome (or some other Auto Immune disease) fighting the foreign object and not allowing new bone to grow. This time he used cadaver bone mixed with something else and made a few other changes. If this doesn?t work, I?ll have to have a reverse shoulder replacement  which uses different muscles. Not fun!  Two months in a sling with a pillow, then months of PT. For the next two months I can only bend over when standing and do pendulum swings.  Have any of you heard of Sjogrens causing anything similar to this?

[Ohiocat]

Not familiar with this.  But do have an aunt who is sensitive to metal.  They had to go back in to her wrist/arm to replace what they had previously put in her since her system never accepted the metal okay.  And she does not have Sjogrens

[cccourt1942]

I am unfamiliar with any of this.  I will say I've heard of metal "screws", etc having to be removed....but not due to SjS.  With my limited knowledge (understanding)  of what white cells do to a sjogren's patient's blood, and with what you said about what sounds like the surgeons themselves were surprised to find, it seems clear it is SjS related (if you have SjS).  Now then, as to if it is linked if NOT sjs positive?  Don't know. We don't know how to diagnose SjS in a timely manner...that is, isolate the SjS positive blood areas for pre-dx before they reach full blown SjS.  Think about this: we know "early #s for diabetes and other diseases...but there's no "Pre-SjS" range.  Btw: I am presuming you have NOT been dxed w/SjS due to your dr's statement "likely caused by SjS...".  Is this assumption correct?   None the less--good luck to you.  Sounds horrendous.  I am old..and looking like I may go thru two hip replacements in 2018. Having the MRIs this afternoon. (YES...on a Saturday!!)
   Good luck, and have a relaxed, peaceful Christmas. 
ccc

[Carolina]

Oh Dear, Jenny!

I am due for total shoulder replacement, as well as knee replacement.

However, because of my Immune Dysregulation my husband (an Immunologist) believes that my body won't 'accept' the replacements and I will suffer as a result.

Of course I am suffering now, as you well know.  I keep wishing for at least knee replacements as my knees lock and 'crunch' when I wear my braces, without which I cannot walk.

Rock and a hard place - I live between them all of the time.

I should make an appointment with my Orthopedist to discuss ways that the replacements might be tolerated.

Of course, any surgery is a challenge, because of my age, 75, and because of my Coronary Heart Disease.

Do keep us posted on how your treatment goes.

All my sympathy,  Hugs Elaine

[Puzzled]

Jenny,

I am so sorry for the pain you are going through.  It is true that many can be allergic to metal and have had to have surgery to remove it.  A doctor can actually strap a piece of the metal on you and if you are allergic it often shows up.  I think anything they are going to use for a replacement that you might have them check you out on it first.  I'm sure there are many ways to check things out.  I just happened to know a lady that had a replacement and was in terrible pain so the doctors did strap the metal to her and it reacted.

Hopefully this next round will go smoothly and you will have no surprises. 

Carolina and cccourt1942 I hope all goes well for you. 

[Jenny]

Thanks all. BTW, I have been diagnosed with Sjogrens for about 10 years through blood tests. Interesting about metal testing. I will speak to my doctor in the beginning of January about this. He was more concerned about an infection. Don?t hesitate getting your joint replacements. I live in Florida and half the people I know have one. My case is very rare. I know people who were back to normal in a few days with hips and a couple of weeks with knees.  The shoulder is more complicated as it moves in so many directions. Getting old ain?t for sissies!

[Ohiocat]

Something to ask yourself. Are you sensitive to various metals?  For example can you wear any type of earrings or only the gold type ones.  Do you break out if you wear a watch where the metal touches your skin.  Does wearing earrings make your ear lobes swell or turn red.   

All possible indications of you being more sensitive to metals or partly allergic to them

[Carolina]

Good test suggestion, Ohiocat.

I have acute sensitivity to any but pure gold earring parts.  I put gold lever backs on all my earrings.

And that reminds me that some of my earrings bother me because the lever backs were only gold plated and the gold is gone.

I can wear a metal watch band, so I guess it depends on the part of my body.

I have stents in my heart, and they are stainless steel and haven't been a problem for 18 years.

All of us vary in our sensitivities, it's true.

Hugs,  Elaine

[Jenny]

No sensitivities at all!  I can wear the cheapest costume Jewelry. I also have a lot of metal in my back. One artificial disc and three discs are  fused with hardware. That?s what makes this all the more strange.

[irish]

I just had a cervical spinal fusion end of December and my neurosurgeon is of the opinion that because he used a cadaver disc I should not have any problem. He has had a couple of other patients with autoimmune type issues and has not seen any problems. He has done over 900 of this type surgeries so heavens known how many were cadaver discs replacements.

I guess I can't tell you not to worry but I guess I think it may be possible to have positive results with the use of cadaver bones. It it seems like they go through so many treatments and processes that they work better than they did years aqo.  I also have titanium attached to my 2 vertebra for stabilization. My doc told me that with the disc and titanium I could be dropped on my head and they would endure. I doubt if my head would though!!!

I wish you well with this surgery hoping that all goes well. Good luck. irish

[Tharrell]

Actually, I had a failed hip replacement on the right hip. I had two revisions, because the reason was unclear on the first revision. Before my third revision my doctor did a bone scan, which was the only way to visualize the hardware and bone. It showed aseptic loosening. I was less than a year since my original replacement. When I went into surgery he discovered that I had almost no bone intergration with the stem. This time he used a larger and longer stem and it has been fine so far in the thigh bone. However, I'm still having pain atound the joint, some of it caused by bursitis thanks to heavy internal scar formation, which was also noted on the previous surgery.
I too have no metal allergy. I had a successful spinal fusion ten years ago before diagnosis and it is not bothering me. I do have the diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease with sjogrens.

[Carolina]

oh rats, both shoulders woke me up in the middle of the night.  What's a side-sleeper to do when both shoulders hurt to sleep on?

I can't fall asleep on my back, and I haven't slept on my tummy since I grew boobs!

It's always something, it seems.

Moan,  Elaine