Complete the assessment
Resolve a question that could change the treatment plan.
Hip replacement / Patient guide
Painful, loose or infected hip replacement
Understand the evidence behind a suspected implant problem and the questions that need resolving.
A planned, non-urgent second opinion with Professor Paul Lee
Start with your experience
Making sense of the concern
Pain around a replaced hip can lead to very different discussions. You may have been told that the implant is loose, that infection needs excluding, or that the source is still uncertain. Ask which of these is a confirmed finding and which is a possibility being investigated.
The timing is important: describe whether the hip never became comfortable or whether it worked well before a new problem developed. Note any injury, wound problem, recent tests or treatment. A second opinion can help you understand a planned pathway, but suspected infection should be addressed promptly by your current team.
Connect the evidence
Three parts of the picture
- Step 1
Pain pattern
When did the problem begin and what brings it on?
- Step 2
Implant evidence
What supports a concern about fixation or wear?
- Step 3
Infection question
What has been tested, and what still needs resolving?
A discussion framework, not a diagnostic test or a predicted recovery timeline.
Your clinical second opinion
What the review can explore
The review brings together the operation and implant details, a clinical examination, serial imaging and relevant laboratory results. Earlier images can matter because they show whether a finding has changed. If blood tests or joint-fluid sampling have been discussed, ask what question each is intended to answer.
Before another operation, you should understand the working diagnosis and how it shapes the plan. Ask what parts would be changed, whether further stages might be needed and which specialists would be involved. This consultation can clarify the proposal and any remaining uncertainty; it does not replace urgent investigation or treatment.
From explanation to a plan
Possible next steps to discuss
These are directions the conversation may take. They are not a treatment recommendation for every person with these symptoms.
Review the proposed revision
Understand exactly what the operation is intended to address.
Coordinate specialist care
Clarify who will lead further investigation and treatment.
Make the appointment yours
Questions worth bringing
- What evidence supports loosening or infection?
- Which results are still outstanding?
- How would each possible diagnosis change the operation?
- Who should I contact if symptoms worsen while I wait?
If the explanation uses an unfamiliar term, ask what it means for your own decision. Before leaving, check who is arranging any next step and how you will receive the results.
Further reading
General patient information supporting the background to this guide. Your individual advice depends on assessment.
Related questions
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Review outer-hip pain or weakness and whether the tendons that support walking are involved.
Read guide →Leg-length difference after hip replacement
Explore why your legs feel unequal and how that difference has been assessed.
Read guide →Second Opinion Clinic
Talk through your next step.
£100 · 45 minutes · Monthly clinic sessions
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