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Arthritis Article

Hip replacement

For years, hip replacement surgery has been a common solution for elderly individuals suffering from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, as well as other conditions, injuries and diseases. However, hip replacement has become a more common treatment option for younger individuals with these conditions as well, and is no longer limited primarily to older and less active individuals.

In most cases surgery is not the first option recommended by a physician. Other alternatives, such as physical therapy and walking aids are often used as long as possible before a patient undergoes hip replacement. In some cases, anti-inflammatories and medications such as cortisone are also used as alternative treatments to hip replacement surgery.

The procedure involves removing damaged or diseased cartilage and bone from the hip. The parts of the hip which allow wide ranges of movement, the acetabulum and the femur, are replaced with artificial parts. In some surgeries, the artificial parts are cemented, and in other cases they are made of porous materials so that the patient’s own bone will grow to hold them in place.

Generally, an operation is considered necessary when other forms of treatment have failed to relieve pain and other symptoms. As with all surgeries, there are risks to hip replacement including blood clots. More common risks are inflammation and hip dislocation.

Movement should be limited immediately following surgery, although patients are required to begin some activities immediately both to promote healing and to with the effects of the anesthetic used during surgery. Most patients will remain in the hospital for several days.

Post-operative care will include physical therapy and pain medications. Physical therapy will focus on teaching the patient the limitation of the artificial hip replacement, and will teach them the proper ways to bend, sit, walk and generally go about daily living with some new limitations.

While exercise remains an important part of daily life, people who have undergone hip replacement are expected to avoid high-impact activity. Recommended options for exercise can include walking and swimming, which provide cardiovascular benefits without undue strain on the hip replacement.

Patients are encouraged to prepare their homes for their return prior to surgery. This includes setting up an area with easy access to many of the things the patient will need for entertainment during the first several days home from the hospital, moving kitchen items within easy reach, setting up a shower chair and removing anything on floor surfaces that could cause slipping or tripping.

With proper preparation and attention to all post-operative instructions, hip replacement patients can return to a normal and active lifestyle in spite of some limitations.

My mom recently had hip replacement surgery. It was very difficult for her. The cost of hip replacement surgery is not just monetary, although the monetary cost is no inconsiderable. The real cost, however, is the time lost in a slow and painful recovery, and the decreased mobility inevitably resulting from hip replacement surgery.

My mom had her hip replaced because of a rare condition from which she was suffering. She had pain in her hips for month before she knew that she would need a hip replacement – for months before she even began going to the doctor, even. She came down with avascular necrosis, a strange disease for which she had none of the risk factors. Avascular necrosis is usually a condition which either scuba divers, alcoholics, the extremely old, or some types of athletes get, and she was none of these things. Basically, the condition is when a certain area of the bone is not getting adequate blood supply. It begins to weaken and die on its own, but because it is happening inside of the bone, it can be a long time before anyone knows about it. For her, the necrosis did enough damage to make her need a hip replacement. Her hip was simply all weak and rotted out inside.

Fortunately, Hip replacement surgery has come a long way. Even so, it was months before she got most of her movement back, and my mom needed many quite intense and difficult sessions with a physical therapist to cause this to happen. The way things finally worked out, she has most of her movement back, but still walks with a limp. Her hip replacement was a success, but even still will inconvenience her for the rest of her life. Because of the pin in her hip, she will always set off metal detectors at airports, which means that she is likely to be pulled aside and searched. In addition, she is not as active as she used to be because of the hip replacement surgery. She is not as flexible, and sometimes gets tired from too much walking. Finally, she has a complaint common to people who have major surgery. The hip replacement often tends to act up when the weather changes. Although this seems like no big deal, when there is a big storm coming, she can feel sore and uncomfortable all day, and sometimes all night as well