Total Hip Replacement (THR) involves replacing the damaged and worn hip with an artificial joint (prosthesis). Hip replacements can be made using different combinations of materials, including metal, ceramic, plastic and acrylic cement. The type of hip replacement used is chosen taking into account your particular requirements.
For patients with hip arthritis, joint replacement is an effective and reliable method of providing pain relief. Hip replacements are very durable, lasting longer than 15 years in 80-90% of patients.
Hip replacement may be performed using general anaesthetic (put to sleep), regional anaesthetic (epidural or spinal nerve blocks), or a combination of these techniques. Your anaesthetist will make recommendations about which technique best suits you.
You can place your whole body weight onto the hip and walk with assistance immediately after surgery. Hospital stay is usually 2-4 days. Crutches may be used for comfort a few weeks after the procedure and can be discarded when you are confident. Some people like to use a single crutch for a few weeks longer. Depending on your occupation, you will require 2-6 weeks off work. You are unable to drive for 4 weeks but can be driven as a passenger.
Hip replacement surgery is very safe, and serious complications are uncommon. Serious wound infection occurs in less than 1% and dislocation in approximately 2% of patients treated with hip replacement. Clots can form in the veins of the leg (deep venous thrombosis 'DVT'), which on rare occasions may dislodge and travel to the lungs causing breathing difficulty. Many patients with hip arthritis have a short leg on the effected side, which is corrected during surgery. Occasionally it is not possible to make the leg lengths equal (within 5mm), and the operated leg is made longer or shorter. I will discuss the risks of the procedure with you in detail prior to the operation.
This information handout has been written by Dr
