The Hip joint together with the knee are weight bearing joints that are prone to mechanical stress and loads. Hip replacement is one of the most common orthopaedic surgical procedures. It is indicated for patients with unremmiting pain and irreversibly damaged joints due to degenerative osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, selected proximal femoral fractures.
Total Hip Replacement is a reconstructive surgery that restores joint motion, function, and relieve pain. It is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced with a prosthesis, performed either as a total replacement or a hemi/semi (half) replacement. A total hip replacement consists of replacing both the acetabulum and the femoral head while hemiarthroplasty only replaces the femoral head.
This procedure usually takes 3 hours. After which, you will be brought to the Postoperative Acute Care Unit for monitoring and anesthesia recovery.
Patients are usually in Spinal-Epidural Anesthesia combined with intravenous sedation. This type of anesthesia is wherein a local anesthetic is injected at the back and numbs the waist down to the feet.
After waking up from the surgery, and back to your room. You will be asked to be laying supine on the bed with the affected extremity held in slight abduction by either a splint or a pillow to prevent dislocation of the prosthesis.
Physical Therapy will be initiated in the afternoon, 5-6 hours post-surgery then twice a day the following days. This will help you recover faster and regain your strength post operatively.
Possible complications include infection which is avoided by giving preoperative antibiotics and sterile technique, Pulmonary Embolism, wherein a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) form the leg breaks off and travels to your lungs; it is prevented by wearing compression stockings post op, giving blood thinners and early ambulation.
Candidates for Hip Replacement are patients with hip pain so severe that they cannot do their tasks and daily activities at ease. The goal of the procedure is to allow you to resume daily activities and ambulate without pain.
Here in Asian Hospital, our Arthritis and Joint Replacement Section
can assess and see you to address your hip problems.