Facts you must know about your hip and much more about hip replacements…
Amrutha had always been and still at 75 is a highly active lady. She loves to indulge in gardening most of the time. Apart from gardening, Amrutha mostly can be found at the park beside their house, entertaining, and enjoying with her four grandchildren.
Amrutha was gardening and had slipped in her garden with which she suffered a severe hip fracture. After carefully examining Amrutha’s degree of hip fracture, we suggested her a total hip replacement. She underwent total hip replacement last month and is recovering very well now.
Who are at a high risk of having Hip Fractures?
Hip fractures fall under serious injury, with complications that can result in being life-threatening. The risk of hip fractures usually increases with age.
Adults of any age can be prone to a hip injury following a hip replacement, although most hip replacements are carried out on older people of the age 60 and 80. Older people are at a higher risk of hip fractures because the bones start to weaken with age. This degeneration of bones with age is known as osteoporosis, in which the bones become brittle.
Read on to know more about hip injuries, treatment and recovery process.
What is a Hip Replacement?
A hip replacement surgery consists of replacing the damaged hip joint with an artificial joint called prosthesis.
Artificial hip joints which may last for at least 15 years. After a hip replacement usually, people see a significant reduction in pain. There is also an improvement in the range of their movement.
The need for a hip replacement arises due to:
Hip replacement surgery is usually necessary when the hip joint is damaged to the extent of reduced mobility and in case you experience discomfort and pain while at rest.
Standard Conditions That Cause Hip Joint Damage:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Hip fracture
- Septic arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Unusual bone growth (bone dysplasias)
You might require a hip replacement surgery if:
- You experience severe pain and swelling
- There is stiffness in your hip joint
- You become immobile and are not being able to walk
- You find it difficult to carry out everyday tasks, such as household duties or getting out of the bath, etc.
- You feel tired and depressed because you aren’t able to work or have a normal social life
With all these factors that you might be facing, you might want to undergo a total hip replacement. Here’s a list of what you need to consider while preparing for a hip replacement surgery.
Preparing yourself for a hip replacement surgery:
- Before you decide to get a hip replacement surgery done, speak to your doctor and find what your operation involves.
- What measures you need to take after the surgery immediately.
- Stay as active as you can before the surgery.
- Strengthening the muscles around your hip helps in fast recovery.
- You might be referred to a physiotherapist, to give you helpful exercises which you must follow for a smooth treatment.
- It is important to ask your doctor about what to present while attending a pre-operative assessment.
Hip Replacement – The Procedure in Detail
Before the surgery, you can choose the type of anaesthetic you prefer.
There are two options:
- General anaesthesia: You will be asleep during the operation
- A spinal or epidural anaesthesia: This type of anaesthesia numbs the lower body with a sedation that makes you unaware of the surroundings during the surgery. You will not have any memory about the operation.
Your surgeon might recommend an epidural as there are minimum chances of complications in people with unknown health conditions.
The Surgery:
Once you are anaesthetized, the surgeon makes an incision over the hip. The team will then pull the skin aside to reveal the muscle tissue below.
- They will then make another incision that reveals the hip joint.
- The team pulls the thigh bone out of the hip socket.
- The surgeon then uses a surgical saw and carefully removes the ball-shaped bone at the top of the thigh bone (femur).
- Then the surgical team uses a high-speed drill to hollow out the thigh bone.
- The ball-shaped bone is then with a metal substitute. This metal ball joint is a specially designed artificial ball socket that slides into the thigh bone.
- The surgeon widens the hip socket and aligns it with a pad that allows the metal joint to move more freely against the pelvis.
- The muscles and tissues are then closed using dissolvable stitches, and the skin is closed with sutures and protected with sterilized strips.
Hip injury – Significant factors for recovery after a hip replacement:
A hip fracture is an injury that always requires surgical repair or replacement, followed by months of some physical therapy and exercises.
- The recovery after a total hip replacement surgery demands time and requires commitment.
- For the initial four to six weeks after the procedure, you will need to use a walking aid to help support you.
- An exercise programme is designed to help you improve the mobility of your new hip joint.
- Most people resume normal activities within two to three months after the surgery, which may also extend up to a year in some cases.
The day after surgery, Amrutha noticed that the nausea she was having after the fracture was completely gone. She was out of bed beginning to move with the help of the hospital staff within a day of her surgery. She returned home four days later, and has already began moving gradually with a walker.
Today, Amrutha feels better and visits us regularly to check her recovery status. She is waiting to return to her active lifestyle.
SAFETY INFORMATION – TO BE NOTED:
Amrutha’s story is not typical. Although the performance of a replaced hip joint depends on age, activity level, weight, and other vital health factors. Recovery takes time and there are some potential risks too. It is recommended that people with health conditions that obstruct or limit the recovery/healing process must preferably avoid this surgery.
About Doctor:
Dr. Venkat Ram Prasad Vallamshetla is one of the best orthopedic surgeon in Hyderabad. He has done his MBBS, MS Ortho (OSM), MRCS (Edin) and FRCS (Trauma & Orth) from Edinburgh. He has additionally undergone training and has worked in Birmingham for over 12 years with a specialization in Joint Replacement, arthroscopic surgery, sports injuries.
About Hospital:
Sri Sri Holistic Hospital is a leading 100 bedded multi specialty hospital in Nizampet, Kukatpally, Hyderabad. Sri Sri Holistic Hospital provides high standards of healthcare with a combination of advanced technology and state of art clinical expertise. With more than 52 Internationally experienced doctors and 400+ staff, we served at least 50,000 patients so far.
