Your hip hurts, and it is painful to walk, sleep or even get out of a chair. You’ve tried medications and other treatments without success. Now what?
Maybe it’s time to consider having that bad hip replaced with a new one—a surgery that could change your life.
“Total hip replacements have become one of the most predictable operations in all of medicine,” says Doug Prevost, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Anchorage Fracture & Orthopedic Clinic. “Ninetyfive percent of the time patients report good or excellent results.”
Pain that wont go away
Pain that won’t go away The hip is one of the largest weightbearing joints in the body. It consists of two main parts: a ball at the top of the thighbone and a rounded socket in the pelvis. The surfaces of the ball and socket have a smooth cover of cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones and lets them move easily. If the cartilage wears away, it can cause much hip pain and stiffness.
The most common cause of hip damage is osteoarthritis. But rheumatoid arthritis, bone tumors or an injury to the hip joint can also cause hip problems.
To relieve hip pain, a doctor may recommend treatments such as walking aids, medications, physical therapy, weight loss and exercise programs. If none of these treatments works, hip replacement surgery may be an option.
Our highly skilled orthopedic surgeons use the latest advances in hip surgery.
“As a surgeon, it’s very gratifying to be able to improve a patient’s quality of life so predictably,” says Dr. Prevost.
Hip replacement surgery, however, may not be a solution for everyone with unresolved hip pain. People who have chronic health problems, such as heart or lung disease, or who are extremely overweight may not be good candidates.
“You have to be in fairly good health to undergo any type of surgery,” explains Javad Parvizi, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
“And it’s hard to do a hip replacement procedure on patients who are obese.”
Hip help
Hip replacement surgery usually takes about two hours to perform. During a traditional hip replacement, the surgeon makes a 6- to 8-inch incision over the side of the hip and removes the damaged bone tissue and cartilage from the joint. The surgeon then replaces the hip ball and socket with artificial parts.
The new ball inserted in the hip is usually made of either metal or a ceramic material. The new socket component is a durable cup made of plastic, metal or ceramic. Special surgical cement may be used to secure the artificial joint in place.
Over the past several years, some surgeons have also performed hip replacement using new, minimally invasive surgical techniques, in which the procedure is performed through smaller incisions.
Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of hip replacement surgery, and ask if you might be a candidate for a new hip.
More to know about hip replacement
The success rate after hip replacement surgery is very high—most people who have a hip replaced enjoy improved mobility and relief from chronic pain, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
“Hip replacement surgery is one of the safest and most effective procedures,” says Javad Parvizi, MD, a spokesperson for AAOS.
However, as with any type of surgery, there are some risks involved. Infection and blood clots do occur in some hip replacement patients, and it is possible to dislocate a new hip joint.
Also, a new hip might not last forever. Many people in their 50s and 60s are now having hip replacement surgery, which means they may need to replace that new hip again in 15 to 20 years.
“But overall, the benefits of hip replacement surgery far outweigh any risks,” Dr. Parvizi says.