HIP REPLACEMENT MELBOURNE

When should you consider hip replacement surgery?

Hip Replacement Melbourne – A hip replacement may become necessary if you have damaged your hip or have an arthritic hip. If the damage, pain or arthritis in your hip has not responded to conservative (non-operative) treatment, you may well be a candidate for total hip replacement surgery.

The potential benefits of hip replacement surgery

Prior to surgery you will usually have tried some simple treatments such as simple analgesics, weight loss, anti-inflammatory medications, modification of your activities, walking sticks, physiotherapy.

The decision to proceed with hip replacement surgery is a cooperative one between you, your surgeon, family and your local doctor.

Benefits of hip replacement surgery may include:

• Reduced hip pain
• Increased mobility and movement
• Correction of deformity
• Equalisation of leg length (not guaranteed)
• Increased leg strength
• Improved quality of life, ability to return to normal activities
• Enables you to sleep without pain.

On the day of your surgery

What happens on the day of your surgery:

• You will be admitted to hospital
• Further tests may be required on admission
• You will meet the nurses and answer some questions for the hospital records
• You will meet your anaesthetist, who will ask you a few questions
• You will be given hospital clothes to change into and have a shower prior to surgery
• The operation site will becleaned and shaved

Approximately 30 mins prior to surgery, you will be transferred to the operating theatre.

Post operation

You will wake up in the recovery room with a number of monitors to record your vitals statistics including blood pressure, pulse oxygen saturation and temperature.

You will have/be:

• A dressing on your hip and drains coming out of your wound.
• Post-operative X-rays will be performed in recovery
• One or two drips in your arm for fluid and pain relief
• Taken back to the ward once you are stable.

On the day following surgery – Your drains will usually be removed and your surgeon may encourage you to walk with the assistance of your therapist. Pain is normal but if you are in a lot of pain, tell your nurse.

You will be able to put all your weight on your hip and your Physiotherapist will help you with the post-operative hip exercises.

5-7 days after your surgery – You will be discharged to go home or a rehabilitation hospital depending on your pain and home help access.

10 – 14 days after your surgery – Your stitches are usually dissolvable but if not they will be removed. A post-operative visit will be arranged prior o your discharge. You will be advised about how to walk with crutches for two weeks following surgery and then using walking aids for another four to six weeks.

Risks and complications

As with any major surgery, there are potential risks involved. The decision to proceed with the surgery is made because the advantages of surgery outweigh the potential disadvantages.

It is important that you are informed of these risks before the surgery takes place. Complications can be medical (general) or specific to the hip.

Medical Complications include those of the anesthetic and your general well being. Almost any medical condition can occur so this list is not complete.

Complications include:

• Allergic reactions to medications
• Blood loss requiring transfusion with its low risk of disease transmission
• Heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, pneumonia, bladder infections
• Complications from nerve blocks such as infection or nerve damage
• Serious medical problems can lead to ongoing health concerns, prolonged hospitalisation or rarely death
• Specific complications include

Infection – Infection can occur with any operation. In the hip this can be superficial or deep. Infection rates are approximately 1%, if it occurs it can be treated with antibiotics but may require further surgery. Very rarely your hip may need to be removed to eradicate infection.

Dislocation – This means the hip comes out of its socket. Precautions need to be taken with your new hip forever. It a dislocation occurs it needs to be put back into place with an anaesthetic. Rarely this becomes a recurrent problem needing further surgery.

Blood clots (Deep Venous Thrombosis) – These can form in the calf muscles and can travel to the lung (Pulmonary embolism). These can occasionally be serious and even life threatening. If you get calf pain or shortness of breath at any stage, you should notify your surgeon.

Damage to nerves or blood vessels – Also rare but can lead to weakness and loss of sensation in part of the leg. Damage to blood vessels may require further surgery if bleeding is ongoing.

Wound irritation – Your scar can be sensitive or have a surrounding area of numbness. This normally decreases over time and does not lead to any problems with your new joint.

Leg length inequality – It is very difficult to make the leg exactly the same length as the other one. Occasionally the leg is deliberately lengthened to make the hip stable during surgery. There are some occasions when it is simply not possible to match the leg lengths. All leg length inequalities can be treated by a simple shoe raise on the shorter side.

Wear – All joints eventually wear out. The more active you are, the quicker this will occur. In general 80-90% of hip replacements survive 15-20 years.

Failure to relieve pain – Very rare but may occur especially if some pain is coming from other areas such as the spine.

Unsightly or thickened scar

Limp due to muscle weakness

Fractures (break) of the femur (thigh bone) or pelvis (hipbone) – This is also rare but can occur during or after surgery. This may prolong your recovery, or require further surgery. Discuss your concerns thoroughly with your orthopaedic surgeon prior to surgery.