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Hip Replacement Surgery
Hip replacement surgery accounts for the most successful orthopedic operations available to patients the world over. With hundreds of thousands of procedures being completed each year, the medical worlds experience and expertise in the area of hip replacements has never been higher. With reported success rates of over 90% most patients are receiving life changing surgery that enables them to move more freely without the pain and stiffness caused by arthritis, trauma or congenital hip joint deformity.
Hip Replacement Procedure
Hip replacement surgeons treat a number of hip complications by determining which hip replacement procedure should be carried out. During a hip replacement operation the damaged, diseased or deformed hip joint is removed and replaced with artificial joints called implants or prosthesis. In the case of a total hip replacement, both the ball joint (femoral head) and the socket (acetabulum) are replaced with the metal and metal or plastic and metal prosthesis. The femoral head section of the hip joint is removed by cutting using a special power saw and the prosthesis fitted into a cavity that is prepared in the soft tissue of the bone. It is secured by being a tight and secure fit into the prepared cavity. The surface of a hip implant fitted in this way is porous so that the femur bone will naturally grow into the prosthesis. Alternatively, the implant will be fixed into place using a type of cement and screws if necessary. In a partial hip replacement only one section of the hip joint is replaced.
Hip Replacement Recovery
After the operation is completed the patient will be hospitalized for anything up to 2 weeks. Many patients can sit, stand and even walk with assistance within 2 days of the operation but a full hip replacement recovery is normally expected in around 3 to 6 months. During the recovery period physiotherapy will assist with healing and therapists will work with the patient to ensure that the correct exercises are carried out regularly to strengthen the muscles and maximize the flexibility of the hip joint.
Hip Replacement Problems
Hip replacement complications are mostly hip dislocation. This can be due to adopting inappropriate postures putting excessive pressure on the joints. The post-operative advice will inform the patient of the postures and sitting positions that should be avoided. Also, there are tiny particles that wear off of the prosthesis over time that can react with the surrounding cells causing inflammation. This inflammation can activate a natural reaction that unfortunately eats away at the bone causing the prosthesis to loosen. This can be treated with anti-inflammatory medication or revision surgery.