Hip Replacement Surgery

Why might I need hip replacement surgery?

You might need hip replacement surgery if your hip is so painful, it's severely limiting your mobility, and nonsurgical treatments are no longer effective.

Severe injuries to the hip that damage the bones such as traumatic injuries as well as conditions like osteonecrosis (loss of blood flow to the hip) sometimes require hip replacement surgery. However, the most likely cause of needing a hip replacement is when you have severe osteoarthritis.

Why does osteoarthritis lead to hip replacement surgery?

Osteoarthritis is the most common reason for needing hip replacement surgery. This particular type of arthritis results from gradual wear-and-tear that can happen over many years. It can be post-traumatic or even have a strong genetic component.

The articular cartilage is a healthy and slippery protective coating over the ends of the bones. As this protective coating wears thinner, the bone beneath can rub irregularly and rougher leading to inflammation and pain. As the cartilage continues to get thinner and disappear, the joint damage increases, the pain worsens, and the joint stiffens. This often leads to what is called bone-on-bone arthritis.

Because your hips are supporting at least some of your weight all the time, these large joints get very little rest. If you develop osteoarthritis in your hips, anything that requires hip movement – including standing, walking, and dressing – becomes increasingly challenging.

While conservative treatments like physical therapy, medication, and injectables can help for a while, eventually, the joint deterioration is so great that the only way to find relief from your symptoms is with hip replacement surgery.

What techniques are used in hip replacement surgery?

There are several different ways of performing hip replacement surgery:

Posterior approach

The posterior approach is where your surgeon makes an incision through the muscles in your buttock to reach your hip joint. This is a very common approach with a proven track record of excellent results on both primary and revision hip replacements.

Anterolateral approach

The anterolateral approach is where your surgeon accesses your hip through the side of your body. This approach avoids the dissection of posterior structures. It can be used for primary and revision hip replacements.

Anterior approach

Using the anterior approach, your surgeon makes smaller incisions and accesses your hip through the front of your leg. Often a special table is used to facilitate the procedure. The surgical approach goes between muscles rather than through muscles.

Your surgeon will evaluate which approach best suits your needs to optimize your results. Fortunately, at Total Joint Specialists, you benefit from having surgeons who specialize in all three methods.

The Total Joint Specialists team also uses state-of-the-art surgical techniques. Same-day or outpatient surgery is standard for patients who have hip replacement surgery, and the team offers multimodal pain management to keep you comfortable and help you get moving again.

Find out more about hip replacement surgery and how it could relieve your pain by calling Total Joint Specialists today or by booking an appointment online.