Hip Replacement Surgery Risks
Hip Replacement Surgery Risks
The most common problem that can arise as a result of a hip replacement is loosening of the joint, which causes pain and feeling that the joint is unstable. This happens in around 10% of cases.
This can be caused by the shaft of the prosthesis becoming loose in the hollow of the thigh bone, or due to thinning of the bone around the implant.
Loosening of the joint can occur at any time, but it normally occurs 10-15 years after the original surgery was performed.
Another operation (revision surgery) may be necessary, although this can't be performed in all patients.
Risks
Risks associated with hip replacement surgery may include:
- Blood clots.Clots can form in your leg veins after surgery. This can be dangerous because a piece of a clot can break off and travel to your lung, heart or rarely your brain. Your doctor may prescribe blood-thinning medications to reduce this risk.
- Infections can occur at the site of your incision and in the deeper tissue near your new hip. Most infections are treated with antibiotics, but a major infection near your prosthesis may require surgery to remove and replace the prosthesis.
- During surgery, healthy portions of your hip joint may fracture. Sometimes the fractures are so small that they heal on their own, but larger fractures may need to be corrected with wires, pins, and possibly a metal plate or bone grafts.
- Certain positions can cause the ball of your new joint to become dislodged, particularly in the first few months after surgery. If the hip dislocates, your doctor may fit you with a brace to keep the hip in the correct position. If your hip keeps dislocating, surgery is often required to stabilize it.
- Change in leg length.Your surgeon takes steps to avoid the problem, but occasionally a new hip makes one leg longer or shorter than the other. Sometimes this is caused by a contracture of muscles surrounding the hip. In this case, progressively strengthening and stretching those muscles may help.
- Although this complication is rare with newer implants, your new joint may not become solidly fixed to your bone or may loosen over time, causing pain in your hip. Surgery might be needed to fix the problem.
10 common questions about Hip Replacement Surgery Risks
1Is hip replacement dangerous?
Serious complications, such as hip-joint infection, occur in approximately 1.0% of patients. Major medical complications, such as heart attack or stroke, occur even less frequently. (Of course, chronic illnesses may increase the potential for complications.) Every surgical procedure has risks and benefits.
2How many people die during hip replacement surgery?
The researchers found that, overall, 1,743 patients – or 0.4 percent – died within 90 days of surgery. But during the course of the eight-year study period, the mortality rate dropped by almost half, from 0.56 percent in 2003 to 0.29 percent in 2011.
3Is a hip replacement a major operation?
In a hip replacement procedure, your surgeon removes the damaged joint surface and replaces it with an artificial implant. A total hip replacement is a major surgery, and deciding to have the surgery done is a big decision. ... As well, older age is a concern and may be an exclusion factor for a hip replacement.
4Is hip surgery painful?
Typically, knee replacement surgery hurts more than hip replacement surgery (sorry, knee people). After surgery, pain is no longer achy and arthritic but stems from wound healing, swelling and inflammation. Hip replacement patients often report little to no pain around the 2-6 week mark.
5Is there an alternative to hip replacement surgery?
Among these are physical therapy, walking aids, anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, and joint supplements. In general, hip replacement surgery is not an urgent procedure, and most often there is no harm in delaying surgery until you feel the time is right.
6How long should I use a walker after hip replacement?
What is the recovery time? Each patient heals from surgery at a different pace. In most cases, you will be restricted to the use of a walker or crutches for approximately 2-3 weeks. You will then be allowed to advance to a cane outdoors and no support around the house for several weeks.
7Can you climb stairs after a hip replacement?
It's important to have support when you climb and descend stairs, especially immediately after surgery. ... That means you should lead with your stronger leg that still has your original hip to walk up the stairway and your weaker leg to walk down it.
8Will I ever be able to cross my legs after hip replacement?
Crossing Your Legs
You should not cross your legs after hip replacement surgery. ... To avoid placing stress on the hip, you should not sleep on your side until your surgeon tells you that it's okay. Even then, some surgeons will recommend that you sleep with a pillow between your legs to keep your hips level.
9Does hip replacement shorten your life?
Patients may live longer after hip replacement, study suggests. Summary: Hip replacement surgery not only improves quality of life but is also associated with increased life expectancy, compared to people of similar age and sex, according to a new report.
10What is the success rate of hip replacement surgery?
The success rate for this surgery is high, with greater than 95% of patients experiencing relief from hip pain. The success rate of hip replacements 10 years after surgery is 90- 95% and at 20 years 80-85%. Should an implant wear or loosen, revision to a new hip replacement is possible.
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