Hip replacement surgery
Hip replacement, also called total hip replacement, is a surgical procedure in which damaged parts of the hip joint are replaced with artificial parts (prosthesis).
The goals of total hip replacement are to relieve pain, improve function of the hip joint, and increase mobility.
The most common cause for hip damage is osteoarthritis. Other conditions that can damage the hip joint include the following:
- Bone tumor
- Injury
- Osteonecrosis (death of bone tissue caused by inadequate blood supply to the bone)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Doctors recommend
joint replacement surgery when hip pain and loss of function become severe, and medicines and other treatments no longer relieve pain.
Total hip replacement may not be recommended for people who:
- Have poor general health and may not tolerate anesthetic and surgery well.
- Have an active infection or are at high risk for infection.
- Have osteoporosis (significant thinning of the bones).
- Are involved in heavy manual labor or physically demanding sports.
- Are severely overweight (replacement joints may be more likely to fail in people who are very overweight).
But doctors evaluate each person individually.
Surgical Procedure:
Total hip replacement can be performed using traditional surgery or a minimally invasive method. The procedure, which usually takes a few hours, may be performed under general or regional anesthesia.
In traditional open surgery, an incision (usually 6 to 8 inches in length) is made in the hip and the damaged tissue is removed and replaced with artificial parts (prosthesis). The healthy portions of the hip joint are left intact.
Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery, which is performed through smaller incisions, may be used in patients who are aged 50 or younger and are generally in good health. Minimally invasive hip replacement requires a shorter recovery time than traditional surgery, but this procedure may increase the risk for complications such as nerve damage, infection, and poor positioning of the artificial hip.
Hip Replacement Surgery Rehabilitation:
In general, most people get out of bed with help on the day after surgery. Over the next few days, you will learn how to walk with a walker or crutches. You may need to use a walker or crutches for several weeks after surgery until you can bear your full weight, have less pain, and can safely move around without falling.
Your physical therapist will teach you how to exercise, walk, and do activities such as dressing and cooking while you allow your hip to heal
Following your surgeon's instructions, you may learn the precautions to keep your hip from dislocating:
- Avoid combinations of movement with your new hip. For example, do not sit with your legs crossed.
- To avoid bending your hip more than 90 degrees, you have to follow this instructions:
- Do not sit on low chairs, beds, or toilets. You may want to get a special raiser for your toilet seat temporarily.
- Do not raise your knee higher than your hip.
- Do not lean forward while you are sitting down, or as you sit down or stand up.
- Do not bend over more than 90 degrees. This means you can't bend down to tie your shoes for a while.
- For about 8 weeks :
- Do not cross your legs.
- Be careful as you get in or out of bed or a car, so your leg does not cross that imaginary line in the middle of your body.
- Do not rotate your leg in or too far out, mean that you have to keep your toes pointing forward or slightly out.
Most people go home within a few days to a week after surgery. Some people who need more extensive rehab or those who don't have someone who can help at home go to a specialized rehab center for more treatment.
Total rehabilitation after surgery will take at least 6 months.
The risks of hip replacement surgery:
Risks of the surgery and recovery period
- Blood clots.
- Infection in the surgical wound or in the joint.
- Nerve injury.
- Problems with wound healing
- Deposits of bone in soft tissues around the hip joint.
- Hip dislocation after surgery.
- Difference in leg length.
- The usual risks of general anesthesia.
Long-term risks
- Loosening of the artificial hip joint parts.
- Infection.
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