If you are considering hip replacement surgery, there are a
few things you should know about the process to ensure the best possible
results. While hip replacement surgery has proven to be one of the safest and
most successful orthopedic
procedures done today, no surgery is without risk, and replacement
procedures are not an easy fix for joint problems. You will need extensive
physical therapy after surgery to rehabilitate your hip and complete recovery
can take up to a year. Additionally, learning about hip implant options and
choosing yours carefully is important, since there have been some problems
lately with faulty or poorly designed hip replacement products.
Hip Replacement: What
You Can Expect
Hip
replacement surgery is typically done through an incision in the front or
side of your hip and replaces the femoral head, the ball portion of the joint,
with a prosthetic ball, and the acetabulum, or socket portion, with an
artificial socket. Implants can be made of metal, plastic or ceramics, with
most using a combination of these materials, a ceramic ball and a metal or
plastic socket, for instance.
After your procedure is completed and the anesthesia has
worn off, a physical therapist will typically appear in short order to
encourage you to sit up and perhaps even walk with crutches or a walker.
Getting up and moving quickly is important, reducing your risk of surgical complications,
such as blood clots or pulmonary problems. Also, patients who start physical
therapy quickly after surgery have been shown to recover more quickly and
completely than those who spend time immobilized after their procedure.
Throughout your hospital stay, you'll likely be asked to
wear compression stockings to reduce blood clot risk, and you'll be instructed
on movement and activity limitations to avoid implant dislocation during your
recovery period. You will walk every day, assisted at first, then slowly
transitioning to independence when your doctor and therapist feel you are
ready. Your therapist will work with you to restore range of motion and
strength to the hip with gentle exercise. Once you're discharged from the
hospital, physical therapy should continue for at least six to eight weeks to
rehabilitate the your hip. You can have therapy at home, on an outpatient
basis, or check into a rehabilitation hospital for a few weeks of intensive
therapy.
Hip Implant Recalls:
The Details
Choosing your implant carefully can reduce your risk of
complications, helping ensure a quick recovery and the best results from your
procedure. Metal-on-metal implant systems and components have been particularly
troublesome in many patients, so avoiding them might be wise. Several have been
recalled due to high rates of premature failure and serious complications,
including the DePuy ASR, Stryker
Rejuvenate and Zimmer Durom Cup. Among the most serious problems seen with
these products is metallosis, which occurs due to metallic debris shed from the
implants. In many cases, that debris accumulates in soft tissues, causing
severe pain and inflammation and in some cases, tissue death and bone loss.
Many patients have to undergo complex and costly revision surgeries, and hundreds of hip lawsuits have
been filed.
Elizabeth Carrollton writes about defective medical
devices and dangerous drugs for Drugwatch.com.