Hip replacement

An orthopedic surgeon may recommend hip replacement surgery to treat several hip conditions and injuries, including:

• Arthritis and joint pain (inflammation of the ball-and-socket joint and wearing away of cartilage)
• Bursitis (inflammation of the pads that cushion the joints)
• Damage to cartilage (the connective tissue that serves as padding between the bones) and ligaments (the band of tissue that connects bones)
• Dislocated hip (the ball of the hip is forced out of the socket that makes up the ball-and-socket joint)
• Hip fracture
• Osteoporosis (a condition that causes bones to become brittle and fragile)
• Snapping hip (a condition in which a snapping sensation is felt when the hip is flexed and extended)
• Soft tissue and referred pain (pain felt at a location other than where it is caused)
• Tendinopathy (damage of the cord attaching muscle to bone)
• Tendonitis (inflammation of the cord attaching muscle to bone)

Patients with degenerative joint diseases who have not found relief with conservative treatment options, such as medications and lifestyle modifications, may discuss hip replacement surgery with their orthopedic surgeon.

The experienced hip specialists in our orthopedic program treat a range of hip conditions with a variety of treatment options. We always choose the least invasive and most effective approach possible.

Some patients successfully treat their hip conditions with medications, pain management, lifestyle modifications and physical therapy and rehabilitation. However, for serious injuries and chronic conditions, surgery may be the best option. We offer a range of hip surgeries and use minimally invasive techniques whenever possible.

Total hip replacement surgery almost always reduces joint pain. During this procedure, an orthopedic surgeon removes the damaged or diseased ball of the upper thigh bone (femur) and the damaged cartilage from the hip socket. The damaged ball is replaced with a metal ball fixed inside the femur. The socket is replaced with a plastic liner fixed inside a metal shell. This creates a smoothly functioning ball-and-socket joint that does not cause pain.

Total hip replacement surgery takes between 60 and 90 minutes and requires a hospital stay of one to three days. Exact recovery times vary from person to person. Most patients can walk with an assistive device the day after surgery and continue to use the device for two weeks.

For about two months after surgery, a physical therapist works with the patient to get them back to their regular routine. Many patients are about 85 percent recovered within two months. For a two-year period, patients build strength, endurance and confidence with their new joint.

We now offer a 3D design process with custom hip implants to fit each patient's unique anatomy. This often results in faster and easier recoveries.

Our orthopedic surgeons use the Mako^™ Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System, offering a minimally invasive robotic surgical alternative to traditional total hip replacement. This leading-edge technology allows your orthopedic surgeon to develop a personalized surgical plan based on your unique anatomy.

One of our hip specialists will direct the robotic arm within a defined area while preventing it from going beyond the designated surgical space, decreasing the possibility for error. The robotic arm also helps the hip specialist place and align the implant with greater accuracy. The extreme precision and accuracy used during a robot-assisted hip replacement can result in a longer lasting implant and greater function and feel for patients.

Our orthopedic program offers the anterior approach to hip replacement surgery, which allows our surgeons to operate using a minimally invasive technique that spares more surrounding muscles compared to a traditional hip replacement. Some studies indicate that this approach offers advantages compared to traditional hip replacement, including:

• Better range of motion
• Less pain
• Less risk of hip dislocation after surgery
• Quicker recovery
• Shorter hospital stays

Hip arthroscopy, also called hip scope, is another minimally invasive option to treat patients with hip pain. Surgeons use hip arthroscopy to diagnose conditions and fix tears in the soft tissue and cartilage surrounding the hip through one small incision.

A hip scope may have advantages over traditional hip surgery, including:

• Delaying or eliminating the need for a hip replacement
• Less pain and scarring
• Postponing hip arthritis by treating its cause in the early stages
• Quicker recoveries

If a hip replacement surgery fails, hip revision surgery may be an effective treatment option. This procedure involves removing some or all of the artificial joints placed during the hip replacement and putting new artificial joints in their place.