Hip replacement surgery is a surgical process to replace a worn-out or else damaged hip joint. Surgery is performed by an expert surgeon to remove the damaged parts of the hip joint and replace them with parts made of metallic ceramic as well as hard plastic. This artificial joint also helps to reduce pain and improve function. The hip surgery is also known as total hip arthroplasty.
Conditions that cause damage to hip joints
Many conditions damage hip joints; some are listed below:
- Osteoarthritis – This condition damages the smooth cartilage that covers the ends of bones.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis– This condition damages and produces a type of inflammation that can erode cartilage
3. Osteonecrosis – It is a condition in which due to inadequate blood supply, the ball portion of the hip joint can collapse and also deform.
When is hip replacement surgery performed?
Hip replacement surgery is performed when a person’s hip joint has reached a point where they experience extreme pain, and symptoms can not be treated or controlled with non-operative treatments. In a hip replacement procedure, expert surgeons will remove the damaged joint surface and will replace it with an artificial implant. A total hip replacement is major surgery, and whether to have the surgery done is a big decision. You have to be a candidate for hip surgery; you’re too young for a hip replacement. But there can be risks in delaying joint replacement surgery.
Hip replacement procedure
Hip replacement surgery is performed and in which the bone and cartilage on the ball hip joint is removed. The surgery is done by using instruments to create surfaces, and that can accommodate the implant perfectly. Not every hip replacement surgery is performed in a similar way as variations in technique are there and which allow surgeons to perform the process in different ways. However, the necessary steps of performing a hip replacement are relatively unchanged.
Who are the candidates for hip replacement surgery?
The decision to have hip replacement surgery should be mutual and is made by consulting your family, your primary care doctor, as well as an expert orthopaedic surgeon. The process of making this decision typically starts with a referral by your doctor to an orthopaedic surgeon for an initial evaluation: there no age or weight limitations for hip replacement surgery. A specialist does recommendations for surgery, and the decision is based on a patient’s pain as well as disability, not age. Total hip replacements are successfully done at all ages, and for all conditions like on young person with juvenile arthritis to the older patient with degenerative arthritis.
When does an orthopaedic surgeon recommend surgery?
There are many reasons why doctors may recommend hip replacement surgery. People with below-listed problems can benefit from hip replacement surgery often :
If a person experiences severe hip pain that limits everyday activities, counting walking or bending
In case a person experiences hip pain that continues not only at the time of physical movement but also while resting, either day or night
When a person feels stiffness in a hip and causes the restriction or inability to move or lift the leg
If a person cannot be treated further from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, or else walking supports.
To evaluate that you need a hip replacement surgery, your surgeon will evaluate by considering :
- Medical history of patients will be evaluated by orthopaedic surgeons to know the general health of patients. He/she will ask questions about the extent of your hip pain and how it limits your ability to perform everyday activities.
- A surgeon will also do a physical examination as it will help them to assess hip mobility, strength, as well as alignment.
- X-rays are also done to determine the extent of damage or deformity in your hip joint.
- Many other tests are also performed counting magnetic resonance imaging, i.e. MRI scan, to determine the condition of the bone along with soft tissues of your hip.
The hip replacement surgery cost in India for a single hip ranges between USD 1,400 to USD 5,200. The success of your surgery will depend on how well patients follow instructions of an orthopaedic surgeon’s in terms of home care during the first few weeks after surgery.