Hip replacement surgery

Hip replacement involves removing and replacing damaged parts of your  hip joint. It is primarily used to alleviate hip arthritis-related pain and stiffness.

Some times this surgery is needed for hip fractures in older people to make them walk early

What are the signs that you need a hip replacement?

If you have any of the following symptoms of arthritis, you might consider a hip replacement:

• Significant hip pain that isn’t alleviated by medicine and is interfering with your routine activities of life , disturbed sleep, or limp  
• Hip stiffness that limits motion and makes walking difficult

Anatomy of the Hip

A ball-and-socket joint, the hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The femoral head is the ball at the apex of your femur (thighbone). The acetabulum, or socket, is a portion of your pelvis. The ball rotates and moves forward, backward, and sideways in the socket, letting your leg to rotate and move backward, forward, and sideways.

What are the many types of hip replacement operations?

The following are the three main types of hip replacements:

• Hip replacement surgery (most common)
• Hip replacement (partial)
• Resurfacing of the hip

A total hip replacement is the most common type of hip replacement surgery (also called total hip arthroplasty). Artificial implants are used to replace worn-out or damaged parts of your hip during this procedure. A strong plastic cup replaces the socket, which may or may not include a titanium metal casing. The head of your femur will be removed and replaced with a ceramic or metal alloy ball. A metal stem is placed into the top of your femur, and the replacement ball is affixed to it.

recovery after surgery

Within 24 hours of surgery, your rehabilitation will begin. Within a day or two of surgery, most hip replacement patients walk with a cane, walker, or crutches. You’ll gradually increase the distance and frequency of your walks as the days go by. With proper physiotherapy most of the patient completely recover and start walking without support in 4 to 6 weeks 

how long do they last?

A hip replacement prosthesis should last between 15 and 30 years in most cases, while some can survive considerably longer.

The type of implant and the patient’s age has an impact on the outcome. A 2008 study of more than 50,000 individuals aged 55 and over who had THR surgery, between 71 and 94 percent still had functional implants after 15 years.

Hip revision surgery is required when a hip implant needs to be changed because it has become loose or worn out over time.