Hip replacement also called hip arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which a surgeon removes the damaged hip joint and replaces it with an artificial hip joint usually constructed of metal, ceramic and very hard plastic. This artificial joint (prosthesis) helps reduce pain and improve movement.
Hip replacement surgery is recommended for the patients having diseased or damaged hip. Arthritis damage is the most common reason to need hip replacement. It could be the best option if hip pain interferes with daily activities and all possible nonsurgical treatments have been exhausted or are no longer effective.
Hip is one of the important and largest joints in the body involving ball and socket joint. The acetabulum, a piece of the pelvis bone, creates the socket. The femoral head, or ball, is located at the top of the femur (thighbone).
The knee consists of the lower end of the thighbone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella).
The following conditions may necessitate a total hip replacement:
Most of the time, pain and bone stiffness are not enough to convince specialists to suggest a total hip replacement. However, based on your symptoms, surgeons may take this into consideration and request specific diagnostic test to ascertain the underlying reason of these symptoms. Several of these symptoms are listed below:
In total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty), both the ball and the socket are replaced. In partial hip replacement only the ball (the head of the femur) is replaced.
In unilateral hip preplacement, only one hip is replaced, however in bilateral hip preplacement both hips are replaced.
Before hip replacement surgery doctors may ask for some tests including movement or physical tests and other tests such as X-ray, MRI or EKG. These tests and investigations are meant to determine whether the problem is bone-related or neurology-related. Apart from that, the doctor may ask you about current medications and running bone or arthritis disorders in your family along with your past medical history.
Your surgeons will ask you to be on fasting 10-12 hours before the surgery including a 24–72-hour break from alcohol or tobacco consumption strictly.
The patients may require blood during and after the hip replacement surgery because of excessive blood lose during surgery. As a result, patients are frequently asked to donate their own blood, which will be frozen and utilised if necessary, following the procedure.
There two way of hip replacement:
Apart from the size of the incision, the rest of the procedure remains the same in both method of hip replacement surgery. In minimally invasive method the size of the incision is kept small, hence the pain is less and the recovery is fast compared to the traditional method.
Total hip replacement is done under general anaesthesia.
There are two steps in hip replacement surgery:
1. The surgeon first makes an incision in the hip area and moves the hip muscles and layers of tissue off making way to the hip joint. The ball of the joint connected to the femur is then shaved off and an artificial joint replaces the area. The artificial joint is inserted and attached to the femur bone with the ball part sticking out.
2. The surgeon next prepares the hip bone socket by removing any damaged cartilage or bone. The artificial joint cup is put into the socket, and the artificial joint, which is attached to the femur bone, is then fixed into the socket.
An extra drain might be installed to remove the extra fluid collection from the surgery area. Once the artificial joints are in place, the doctor looks for any further cartilage or bone damage and removes it. The hip muscles are subsequently reattached, and the incision is closed with stitches and staples.
The doctors may recommend a blood transfusion after the surgery based on the patient’s blood loss rate during the procedure.
A day after hip replacement surgery you will require Physiotherapy.
You will be given walkers or crutches to walk a few days after the surgery.
You will be recommended to use a pillow or cushion in between the knees for few days to hold the artificial joints into position.
Incision stitches or staples will be removed after 2 weeks.
The doctor may prescribe some medicines.
