What Is Hip Replacement Surgery? - How Helpfull It Is, Types & Cost

During hip replacement surgery, the ball and socket of the hip joint are often removed and replaced with new components composed of plastic, metal, or ceramic. Keep reading to know more about this surgery, its types and its average cost.

Hip replacement surgery involves surgically removing a troublesome hip joint that has been affected by arthritis and replacing it with an artificial hip joint composed of ceramic, plastic or metal.

Furthermore, when all previous medical procedures fail to adequately relieve pain, hip replacement surgery is usually the last choice. This operation is aimed to make walking simpler and relieve hip joint pain.

Hip replacement surgery can help to treat multiple problems. A few of them are:

Osteoarthritis

This form of arthritis is brought on by aging damage. People over the age of 50 are most commonly affected, along with people with a family history of arthritis.

This primarily happens as hip bones' cushioning cartilage deteriorates over time. This subsequent rubbing of the bones result in hip stiffness and pain. The development of the hip during childhood may potentially include subtle anomalies that contribute to or accelerate osteoarthritis.

Osteonecrosis

Osteonecrosis is a hip injury caused due to a dislocation or fracture that may restrict the flow of blood to the femoral head. Also, arthritis might arise from the bone's surface collapsing due to a lack of circulation. Additionally, osteonecrosis can also be a side effect of several illnesses.

Posttraumatic Arthritis

This may come after a severe hip fracture or injury. Also, hip pain and stiffness might develop as a result of damaged cartilage over time.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

In this case, the synovial membrane thickens and is troubled. Moreover, chronic inflammation can harm cartilage, resulting in discomfort and stiffness.

Childhood Hip Disease

Hip issues can affect certain young children and newborns. Even if the issues are adequately managed in childhood, arthritis may still develop as people age. This primarily occurs when the joint surfaces are impacted, and the hip may not develop correctly.

There are several types of hip replacement surgeries. Depending on your problem and its severity, your doctor will provide recommendations. Nevertheless, a few of the types are:

1. Total Hip Replacement

The most frequent type of hip replacement surgery, total hip replacement, entails removing the complete hip joint. A prosthesis, which is a prosthetic ball and socket joint, is used to substitute the joint. It is made of durable, medical-grade material.

Apart from that, following a discussion with your hip surgeon, a patient can choose from a variety of metal, ceramic, and plastic components for this material.

This form of surgery has the advantage that the two halves of the prosthetic hip are made to function together and that the entire problem area is removed, preventing subsequent bone-related problems.

2. Hip Resurfacing

Even though this isn't a hip replacement, the outcome is comparable to a partial hip replacement because it just modifies the joint's ball. The injured head of the femur is trimmed down by a few millimeters and molded to allow a metal cap to be bonded in place during a hip resurfacing treatment. This procedure removes less bone because the original bone socket is left in place.

Moreover, hip resurfacing may feel more natural and take less time to get used to because it keeps more of the bone. Hip resurfacing does, however, have the risk of either not fully resolving the issue or leading to more bone socket wear, necessitating a total hip replacement in the future.

3. Partial Hip Replacement

As the name implies, a partial hip replacement addresses a hip-related problem by substituting only a portion of the hip joint. This technique replaces the femoral head, the ball portion of the ball and the socket hip joint with a ceramic or metal hip implant that is secured by being embedded into the core of the thigh bone.

This type of hip replacement typically fixes the hip joint after a hip fracture because it addresses a particular issue with the ball and socket joint.

If you have decided to undergo hip replacement surgery, here are a few things that you might have to do to prepare yourself. However, depending on the medical institution and medical professional, it can vary.

• Learn About the Method: Learn as much as you can about hip replacement surgery before admission to the hospital. For instance, know the types of joints available and what to expect during recovery.
• Prepare a List of Questions For Your Doctor: There will be many things you want to ask about your operation, but remembering everything at the office could be challenging. So, make a list in advance on paper so that you are ready for your appointment.
• Prepare For Impact on Your Work: As this is major surgery, your recovery might impact your work and personal life. Hence, depending on your line of work, you can require a few weeks or even a few months from your place of employment.
• Lose Weight Before Surgery: Losing some weight before surgery might accelerate your healing. So, try to shed some weight if you're overweight. Also, boost your strength as well. In this regard, using crutches or a walker will be considerably simpler if your upper body is strong.
• Meet a Physiotherapist: Consulting a physiotherapist prior to surgery is beneficial. This is because effective recovery and a successful hip replacement depend on the correct workout. Also, it will be simpler to perform them afterwards if you understand how to conduct some of them before your operation.
• Practice With Your Crutches Or Walker: You can check with the doctor's office to see if you can borrow them. Because getting used to them beforehand will make moving around less difficult following surgery.
• Seek Help From Your Closed Ones: Nobody can heal from a hip replacement by themselves. So, make a plan with your loved ones. You can ask a friend or close relative to stay with you temporarily if you live alone. Otherwise, ask your doctor whether you may stay in a rehab facility following surgery to heal if you don't have a reliable support network.

Hip replacement surgery includes risks and perks, just like any other procedure. The majority of hip replacement patients experience minor side effects.  Apart from these, a few other complications of hip replacement surgery include:

1. Hip Dislocation

Only a few times the hip joint can pop out of its socket. In the first few months following surgery, while the hip is still mending, this is more likely to happen. In most cases, additional surgery is required to realign the joint.

2. Loosening of the Joint

Only up to 5 out of 100 patients with hip replacements experience this. It may result in discomfort and a sense that the joint is unsteady. Joint loosening may be brought on by thinning of the bone surrounding the implant or by the implant shaft becoming loosened in the femur.

Although it can occur at any time, it often does so 10 to 15 years after the first surgery. There may be a need for a second procedure, albeit not all individuals can have this.

3. Infection

Infections after hip replacement surgery are extremely rare, as surgery is untaken in optimum safety conditions. But, in a few cases, it is possible that a few patients can show symptoms of infections. However, it is recommended to contact your doctor or consult a medical professional to diagnose the cause and treat it.

4. Leg Length Inequality

It's possible that the leg that underwent surgery is shorter or longer compared to the other leg. Although most people can adapt to this, a higher shoe may be required occasionally.

5. Blood Clots

One of the most frequent side effects of hip replacement surgery is blood clots in the veins or the pelvis of the legs. If these clots escape and move to your lungs, they could be fatal. A preventative strategy that may involve blood-thinning drugs, ankle pump exercises, support hose, inflated leg covers, and early mobilisation will be prescribed by your orthopaedic surgeon.

6. Bleeding and Wound Haematoma

Blood accumulating in a wound causes a haematoma. Any surgery will likely result in a little amount of blood leaking from the area.

Usually, this subsides after a few days. But rarely, blood may gather beneath the skin and result in an enlargement.

A week or so after surgery, this blood may leak out on its own and cause a larger but temporary leakage from the wound. But occasionally, a minor second procedure may be necessary to remove the blood clot.

7. Wear

Over time, all hip implants will experience some degree of wear. However, ceramic components typically experience less wear than plastic or metal ones. New, more durable plastics are being created, which could help to lessen this issue.

Nevertheless, tiny pieces of metal or plastic may separate from a joint replacement when it begins to deteriorate. These are typically taken up by the body and filtered by the kidneys before leaving the body through the urine.

However, in some individuals, the particles can set off a chain reaction in the soft tissues surrounding the hip that may result in tissue damage and other medical complications.

Before undergoing hip replacement surgery, you are most likely to undergo an orthopaedic evaluation along with blood tests, urine tests and tests to evaluate allergies. Nevertheless, an orthopaedic evaluation consists of:

• Physical examination: Access hip strength, mobility and alignment.
• Medical history: Your orthopaedist will inquire about your overall health as well as the severity of your hip discomfort and how it interferes with your ability to carry out daily tasks.
• X-rays: Images to analyse the deformity and damage of your hip.
• Others: Additional tests such as MRI can be performed for further analysis.

When it comes to hip replacement surgery, surgeons adhere to two processes. Either a conventional procedure or a minimally invasive one can be used. The size of the cut or incision is the primary distinction between these two techniques.

A general anaesthetic is used during the hip replacement procedure to temporarily put the patient to sleep. Along the side of the hip, an incision is created (one 8–10 inch long cut for a typical treatment and two 2–5 inch incisions for a minimally invasive procedure). The surgeon then uses a saw to cut the thigh bone and remove the joint's ball. After that, an artificial joint takes its place.

The patient may remain in bed with a wedge-shaped cushion placed between their legs for the first week after surgery in order to protect the newly implanted hip joint.

Following surgery, physical rehabilitation typically begins, and within a few days, you can walk with a crutch, cane, or walker. Additionally, individuals might need to continue with physiotherapy, which could last for weeks or months.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the recovery time for hip replacement surgery varies among patients. But, in general, it is possible to return to the office after 6 weeks. However, if you are engaged in a gym or weight-lifting training prior to the operation, you might need to wait for a few weeks more before resuming your journey.

It is best to consult your doctor or a medical professional concerning your recovery, and they can suggest a time frame to return to normal activities.

If you have any of the following symptoms following hip replacement surgery, contact your doctor:

• In the initial weeks following your procedure, you may experience hot, reddish, hard, or painful spots on your leg. Even though this might just be post-operative bruising, it could also indicate DVT.
• Chest aches or breathlessness. Although it's quite unlikely that you could have a pulmonary embolism, which requires immediate medical attention, it is better to seek medical advice.

1. Hip Arthroscopy

Hip arthroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure, can treat a variety of hip issues through minute puncture holes.

This approach can be used to address hip pain brought on by bursitis, labral tears, irregular bone development, or snapped tendons. Above all, smaller incisions, minimum scarring, rapid healing, and a quicker return to work or sports are all counted as advantages.

2. PRP Therapy

In outpatient treatment, PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is extracted from your blood and reinjected into the location of the injury to enhance the body's innate ability to recover.

Many professional athletes have received PRP injections to recover from potentially career-ending injuries and get back to their sport. PRP and cell therapy aim to heal the root problem by stimulating the rebuilding of injured tissue, which distinguishes them from other injectable therapies.

3. Cell Therapy Injections

Progenitor cells in your bone marrow and fat can convert into bone or cartilage cells to regrow damaged tissues. Progenitor cells from the iliac crest of the pelvic bone can be obtained and infused into the site of injury to treat orthopaedic hip conditions.