What Happens During Total Hip Replacement?

April 26, 2022 1:57 pm Published by

hip replacement

What Is a Total Hip Replacement?

Your hip is one of the largest joints in your body. When your hip is healthy, you enjoy the freedom of movement and flexibility. Tasks like walking, bending, and getting out of bed, vehicles and the bathtub are easy.

But The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that when a person’s hip has been damaged by arthritis, a fracture or other health conditions, simple, everyday activities can become extremely painful and even impossible. In severe cases, people with damaged and failing hips may even feel pain when resting.

During a total hip replacement performed by a member of the Magnolia Regional Health Center orthopaedics team, a surgeon removes damaged bone and cartilage and replaces it with prosthetic components. These components may be made of plastic, ceramic or metal, and they’re designed to provide the same function as actual bone and cartilage.

How Long Does a Total Hip Replacement Last?

Bones and cartilage are subject to wear and tear, and even people who don’t need hip replacements will often have some damage to these areas due to injury or age. Thankfully, the components used in total hip replacements are designed to last for many years. According to Harvard Medical School and a study published in The Lancet, only 4.4% of people who had hip replacements needed a revision surgery 10 years later, and only 15% of people needed a revision surgery 20 years later.

How Long Does a Total Hip Replacement Take?

The National Library of Medicine says that a total hip replacement surgery takes one to three hours. The surgery is a multi-step process involving:

  • Anesthesia, which may be general (fully unconscious) or regional (sleepy with no feeling at the operating site)
  • Surgical incision at the hip joint
  • Removal of the thigh bone and damaged cartilage
  • Cleaning of the hip socket
  • Placing new artificial hip socket and liner
  • Inserting metal stem into the thigh bone and placing the ball for the new joint
  • Securing all parts
  • Repairing muscles and tendons
  • Closing surgical incision

What’s the Recovery Process After a Total Hip Replacement?

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that most people stay in the hospital for one to four days after a hip replacement procedure. When hip replacements can be performed as outpatient procedures, patients are released the same day.

Complications associated with hip replacements are rare. Patients and their caregivers should be alert for signs of infection, which include fever, chills and redness at the incision site. They should also utilize rest, ice and elevation to reduce swelling.

Many patients are able to resume normal activities like walking and returning to work several days or weeks after their surgeries, and they can resume sports and exercise soon afterward.

 

For many patients, getting a total hip replacement offers a new lease on life. What was once difficult or impossible due to pain and reduced mobility becomes easy and second nature again. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and learn more about this life-changing procedure.

Tags: , , , ,

Categorized in:

This post was written by Magnolia Regional Health Center