Each year, surgeons perform around 200,000 total hip replacement surgeries in the United States alone. This increasingly common surgery helps bring lasting relief to hip pain due to arthritis and other degenerative conditions. At Crescent City Orthopedics in Metairie, Louisiana, a team of skilled surgeons is among those bringing relief to patients suffering from debilitating hip pain through the benefits of hip replacement surgery.
Hip replacement surgery involves the surgical removal of a damaged hip joint and the installation of a fabricated artificial joint. Hip replacement is either total, in which the doctor replaces the entire hip joint, or partial, in which only part of the hip is removed and replaced.
The doctors at Crescent City Orthopedics believe in minimally invasive treatments first, but sometimes hip replacement is the only way to restore a healthy quality of life when the bones of the hips have sustained damage or severe deterioration. Most of the time this occurs when the hip joint is worn down by osteoarthritis.
Other forms of arthritis or degenerative conditions can also cause wear and tear on the hip joint. Sometimes when people break the hip bone, it will need replacement, especially when the bone show signs of osteoporosis.
During hip replacement surgery, your surgeon will remove the diseased bone tissue and cartilage from your hip. Any healthy parts of the hip are left in place.
Then, the ball (femur) and socket (acetabulum) are replaced with an artificial joint. The prosthetic hip joint will either be cemented to your remaining bone or be left to fuse naturally through specially designed pores in the prosthetic material.
The surgery lasts between one and two hours, and you will be under general anesthetic during the procedure. You can expect three to four days in the hospital, followed by three to six months of recovery at home before your hip feels fully recovered.
Because hip replacement is a serious and complicated surgery, your surgeon will want to ensure you're a good candidate before scheduling you for surgery. Some factors that your surgeon will consider include:
Before considering hip replacement surgery, you need to have an honest conversation with your doctor about what to expect from your surgery. The doctors at Crescent City Orthopedics are passionate about helping their patients feel better and will provide an honest evaluation of your health and your injury. If hip replacement is the right treatment for you, they will perform the procedure with skill and precision. Schedule a consultation with them today.
