Success Rate of Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip is one of the largest joints of the body. This is a ball & socket joint arrangement & the socket is formed by the acetabulum, a part of the large pelvis bone. The ball is the femoral head located at the upper end of thighbone. Bone surfaces of the hip joint are covered with articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is smooth tissue cushioning the ends of bones so as to enable them move smoothly. Then, there is the synovial membrane surrounding the hip joint which lubricates the cartilage & eliminates friction. Bands of ligaments within the hip capsule connect the ball with socket in order to provide stability to hip joint.

Common Causes of Hip Pain

Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic hip pain & disability. Traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis & osteoarthritis are the most common types of arthritis.

• Traumatic Arthritis – Also known as post-traumatic arthritis, this usually follows a serious hip fracture or injuries where cartilage may become damaged & lead to hip stiffness & pain over time.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – It is an autoimmune disease where synovial membrane becomes thickened & inflamed. Moreover, chronic inflammation can damage cartilage & lead to stiffness & pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of disorder which is known as ‘inflammatory arthritis’.
• Osteoarthritis – An age-related wear & tear type of arthritis which usually occurs among people over 50 years of age. It is also among individuals having family history of arthritis. Osteoarthritis involves wearing-off of cartilage cushioning bones in the hip joint & which subsequently cause bones rubbing against each other so as to cause hip stiffness & pain. This condition is also caused or accelerated by certain subtle irregularities as to how hip joint had developed during the formative years of childhood.
• Avascular Necrosis – This involves injuries to hip like fracture or dislocation & which may result in limiting blood supply to femoral head. Avascular necrosis is also commonly referred to as osteonecrosis. This lack of blood can cause surface of bone to collapse & thereby result in arthritis.
• Childhood Hip Disease – Some children including infants are found to have hip problems. Even though these problems were successfully treated during childhood, they may still develop & cause arthritis at a later point of time. This usually happens because the hip may not have grown properly & the joint surfaces have as a result got affected.

Outcomes of Hip Replacement Surgery Procedures

The new hip is quite different following hip replacement surgery procedures . Patients may experience some numbness in skin around the incision site. They may also feel some amount of stiffness, particularly with excess bending. However, these problems usually diminish with time & most patients see these as minor hitches when compared with pain & limited functionality they had experienced prior to undergoing hip replacement surgery procedure.

Hip Replacement Surgery Success Rates

To an extent hip replacement surgery success rate will depend upon how the patient is able to protect the new hip replacement & his/her ability to extend the life of the artificial implant. Following measures will go a long way in maintaining functioning which was brought back by the hip replacement surgery procedure.

• Regular participation in a light exercise program so as to maintain proper mobility & strength of the new hip.
• Taking extra precautions to avoid injuries & falls. When hip replacement surgery procedure patients break a bone in leg, they may be required to undergo more surgery.
• Patients must make sure that dentists know they have undergone hip replacement surgery procedures before they undergo dental treatments. They should enquire with orthopedists whether they need to take antibiotics before undergoing dental procedures.