Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement is a surgical procedure that involves replacing the hip joint with an artificial implant. The procedure is performed as a way to relieve arthritic pain or to repair a damaged joint.

In a typical total hip replacement, the top portion of the femur (thigh bone) is replaced with a metal ball and the hip socket is resurfaced with a metal or plastic liner. The artificial parts are permanently attached to the bones with cement.

5 Things You Need to Know

  1. Most hip replacement surgeries are intended to remedy the joint failure that can be caused by osteoarthritis. However, the surgery is also performed to counter the effects of a number of other conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, hip fractures and bone tumors.
  2. Most artificial hip joints are still functioning well over 10 years after they were implanted.
  3. The recovery period for hip replacement surgery is shorter than you might think. Many patients are out of bed and moving (with assistance) the day after surgery. Soon after surgery, patients must start physiotherapy. Within six months, most patients are totally rehabilitated.
  4. Many patients experience chronic pain following hip replacement surgery (although this pain is usually much less severe than what they felt prior to the surgery). Doctors are unsure why this is the case, as most tests show the new hips to be working properly. The best theory is that the pain is the result of nerve damage incurred during the surgery.
  5. More than 300,000 joint replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States.

3 Questions You Need to Ask Your Doctor

  1. Am I a good candidate for hip replacement surgery?
  2. How will my day-to-day life improve after the surgery?
  3. Will I need to have the procedure performed on both of my hips?

Also Known As: Hip joint replacement, total hip arthroplasty

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