When Is Hip Surgery Not Appropriate?

Even though hip surgery may be an effective way to minimize or eliminate hip pain, your doctor may decide that hip replacement surgery is not appropriate for you. Some reasons could include:

• You have an infection or a history of infection
• You don’t have enough bone, or the bone is not strong enough to support a new hip
• You have injured nerves in your hip area
• You have injured or nonfunctional hip muscles
• Your hip is severely unstable
• Your bones are not fully grown or developed
• You have noticeable bone loss or a severe decrease in bone mass (osteoporosis)
• Your hip joint has been previously fused and is stable, functional, and painless
• You have rheumatoid arthritis and active/history of skin lesions (due to increased risk of infection)

What Is Minimally Invasive Hip Surgery?

Traditional hip surgery involves one 10- to 12-inch incision with a 3- to 4-month recovery period. Over the past decade, however, minimally invasive techniques have been developed to successfully implant the very same clinically proven hip joints through a smaller incision without cutting the muscles and tendons around the hip.

What Is Avascular Necrosis Of The Hip? ,Treating Avascular Necrosis With Hip Surgery

When disease or injury prevents the blood supply from flowing freely to a bone, cells in the bone begin to die. As the bone withers, the surrounding cartilage begins to deteriorate, producing pain and other symptoms. This condition, called avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis, is most commonly found in the top of the thighbone.

Treating Avascular Necrosis With Hip Surgery

When disease or injury prevents the blood supply from flowing freely to a bone, cells in the bone begin to die. As the bone withers, the surrounding cartilage begins to deteriorate, producing pain and other symptoms. This condition, called avascular necrosis or osteonecrosis, is most commonly found in the top of the thighbone.

Questions To Ask When Considering Hip Surgery

Here are some questions that may be helpful to ask your doctor when considering hip surgery. We suggest you print this list and take it with you to your appointment. It’s also a good idea to keep a record of your hip pain to share with your doctor at the same time.

Orthopaedic implants can be quite complex, and the materials used to make them, called biomaterials, are highly developed.  In the United States, the FDA requires extensive testing before a new material may be used in an orthopaedic implant.  The materials most commonly used have a long history of clinical use with great success.

How Much Does Hip Surgery Cost?

The cost of a total hip implant varies, depending on the type of implant used. Generally, the hospital purchases the implant and includes it as part of the total cost for the surgery. The ultimate cost for hip replacement surgery is specific to the hospital where the surgery is performed.

How Long Do Hip Replacements Last?

Many factors contribute to an artificial hip’s lifetime, including the patient’s physical condition, activity level, and weight, as well as the accuracy of placement during surgery.

But, while there are no guarantees, the numbers are encouraging. Studies show that more than 80% of all hip replacements across the industry last at least 15 years, and more than 70% last at least 20 years.

How Is Hip Replacement Surgery Performed?

Hip replacement surgery is similar to having most things fixed—worn parts are taken out, and new parts are installed in their places. In hip surgery, the damaged portions of your hip are removed and replaced with metal and plastic implants.

Hip surgery usually takes two to four hours, although this is dependent upon the severity of the arthritis in your hip.

Hip Replacement Surgery For Women

Hip replacements are not “one size fits all.” A properly sized and shaped joint, and the positioning of the joint during surgery, are vital in meeting patient needs. And just like a natural hip, how well the materials in an artificial hip withstand the wear and tear that come with everyday use and rotation of the hip joint contributes to how long the replacement will last.