In hip replacement surgery, your West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. surgeon replaces a portion or all of your hip joint using durable metal and plastic.
With hip replacement surgery, the goal is to stop your chronic joint pain and allow you to get back to normal activities as much as possible. Hip replacements are long-lasting, typically giving you a well-functioning new joint that lasts for a decade or more.
There are two main types of hip joint replacement: open surgery and minimally invasive surgery.
In open surgery, your surgeon creates a 10- to 12-inch incision in the side or back of your hip. They cut muscle tissue to access your joint through the hip capsule. Then, they resurface and replace your worn joint and close the incision.
With minimally invasive surgery, your surgeon makes a much smaller incision of 3-6 inches to access your hip and perform the resurfacing and replacement.
This much smaller incision leads to less bleeding, tissue damage, and pain. Recovery time is shorter, also.
In minimally invasive surgery, your doctor often uses a surgical robot for maximum precision. Your surgeon still controls the tools, but the robotic arm carries out the commands. Robotic surgery allows for peak joint placement, which means it's easier to match leg length after the surgery.
Whenever possible, the West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. surgeons use minimally invasive techniques because of the easier recovery.
The incision may be in the side or back, but now the West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. surgeons often use the anterior approach through the front of your hip.
The anterior approach allows your surgeon to access your hip joint without needing to cut muscle. Ultimately, this means less tissue trauma and easier recovery.
If you have severe joint degeneration because of arthritis, traumatic injury, wear-and-tear, or other causes, you could be a good candidate for a hip joint replacement.
Most patients try conservative care, such as physical therapy and interventional pain management procedures like injections first. If those nonoperative methods don’t help, however, joint replacement could be the right choice.
Your surgeon typically recommends hip joint replacement only if your pain and stiffness limit your activities and basic mobility. Most hip replacement patients are 60-80 years old.
Learn how hip replacement can restore your mobility and end your pain: Call your nearest West Tennessee Bone & Joint Clinic, P.C. office, or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.