| After years of a deteriorating hip joint, you are left | | | | procedure is bone-saving andresults in a stronger hip |
| withalmost constant pain and decreased mobility. | | | | joint than the traditional total hipreplacement. The |
| Eventually, your personaland social life suffers. You | | | | chance of hip dislocation is greatly reduced. |
| are no longer able to do all thethings you could once | | | | Foryounger and active people, this may be the |
| do with ease. If you've exhausted all otherattempts | | | | procedure of choice. |
| to relieve the pain and stiffness, it may be time for | | | | Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery involves an |
| you andyour doctor to consider hip replacement | | | | anteriorapproach to the hip joint. An incision is made |
| surgery. You don't have tolive with pain for the rest | | | | along the front of thehip, which allows a more direct |
| of your life. Hip replacement is a commonsurgery | | | | route to the hip joint. The majorhip muscles are not |
| with a high success rate. | | | | in this area, so there is minimal tissue/muscledamage |
| Depending on your age and the condition of your hip, | | | | during surgery. This usually results in a shorter hospital |
| total hipreplacement surgery (total hip arthroplasty) | | | | stay, aquicker recovery/rehab period, and less pain. |
| may offer the best solutionto your problem. Hip | | | | The only downside tothis method is there are few |
| replacement hardware (ball and socket prosthesis)can | | | | surgeons performing the anterior approachsurgery. It |
| last up to 20 years. And it can often be replaced if | | | | requires a special surgery table (which few hospitals |
| the first prosthesiswears out (though second | | | | have)and special surgical training. |
| surgeries are not always as successful asthe initial hip | | | | Total Hip Precautions |
| surgery). If you are fairly young, your doctor may | | | | After traditional total hip replacement surgery, |
| suggestdelaying surgery. If so, medications or lifestyle | | | | patients arerequired to follow strict precautions that |
| changes may help controlyour symptoms until the | | | | restrict certainmovement/positions of your new hip. |
| time is right for joint replacement. Losing weightcan | | | | This is to prevent your newhip from dislocating. They |
| take a tremendous amount of stress off your hip | | | | are commonly called total hip precautions,or total hip |
| and knee joints. | | | | protocol, and include the following: |
| Surgical Procedure | | | | - Do not cross your legs |
| Most hip replacement surgeries involve the traditional | | | | - Do not point your toes inward (no pigeon toes) |
| approachto the hip joint (lateral/posterior or posterior | | | | - Do not bend your new hip more than 90 degrees |
| approach). With thecommon lateral approach, an | | | | Your doctor may also restrict the amount of weight |
| incision (8-12 inches long) is made downthe outside of | | | | you can put onyour new surgery leg while walking. |
| your hip. The ball at the upper end of your femur | | | | This is called your weight-bearingstatus. This should |
| (thigh bone) is cut off and replaced with a ball/metal | | | | be strictly followed so you do not damage your |
| stem component. | | | | newhip while it's healing. |
| The stem is placed into the marrow cavity of the | | | | Surgery Complications |
| thigh bone andthe ball portion at the top fits into | | | | All surgeries carry risk. Hip surgery complications |
| your new ceramic or plasticsocket that is implanted | | | | include, but arenot limited to, infection, DVT (deep |
| into your pelvis (the cartilage fromyour hip socket is | | | | vein thrombosis- blood clot),dislocation of your new |
| removed or smoothed). | | | | hip, leg length discrepancy, vascular damage,nerve |
| The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System (BHR) is | | | | damage, just to name a few. |
| relatively new | | | | Surgery Recovery |
| (introduced in 1997). Long term studies are still in | | | | Recovery after hip surgery depends on the amount |
| progress, butso far results have been favorable. The | | | | of cartilage damage, your age,and your fitness level |
| BHR method eliminates theneed to cut off the ball at | | | | prior to surgery. Exercise before your surgery and |
| the top of the femur. Instead, the ballis left intact | | | | your recoverywill be easier. Approximately 4-6 |
| and merely resurfaced (reshaped) to allow | | | | months after surgery you should be fully healed, but |
| ananatomically shaped metal sphere to be attached. | | | | you musttake an active part in your recovery by |
| The socket isreplaced with a metal implant. The | | | | doing daily exercises and taking daily walks. |