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Everything You Should Know About Partial Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip injuries can be hard to deal with especially if people get them at an older age or because of a terrible accident. Here is everything you need to know about partial hip replacement surgery, how orthopedic surgeons perform the surgery, and things you should and should not do after the surgery.

Partial Hip Replacement Surgery

The hip bone consists of two parts: the ball and the socket. Normally, when the hip is injured beyond repair, it means that surgery will be done to replace the ball and socket with medical-grade prosthetics. This is a total hip replacement surgery. Partial hip replacement surgery is basically a surgery where only the ball of the hip joint is replaced. The socket is normally uninjured and doesn’t need any replacement.

Partial hip replacement surgery is also called a hemiarthroplasty. It is done by either cementing the prosthetic ball to the very core of the femur or it can be done by uncementing, in which there is a type of coating on the tip, which the bone attaches itself to.

Partial hip replacement surgery is less invasive than total hip replacement surgery, but the general procedure is pretty much the same and it may take some time in healing. This is why it is recommended that you shouldn’t push yourself too much after the surgery and let your incision and hip heal properly before you resume life activities. It’s for the betterment of your own well-being. If you try to overexert your newly replaced hip, then things can take a turn for the worse and you might end up doing more bad than good.

What Happens In Partial Hip Replacement Surgery?

Here is a general run-down of what happens in a partial hip replacement surgery:

You will be put under anesthesia. The anesthesia can either be local/regional or it can be general anesthesia. In local or regional anesthesia, the area undergoing surgery will be numb and you will be given extra drugs to feel sleepy, but you can also be awake for this process. In general anesthesia, you will be put to sleep for the entirety of the surgery and you will be woken up after the surgery is successfully completed. The type of anesthesia you receive depends on your general health and how quickly you can recover from the aftereffects. This is why a doctor will call you in for anesthesia fitness before the surgery.

Once you are under anesthesia, an incision will be made where the ball of the hip joint is present. It will be removed and another metal ball will be placed on the core of the femur, also known as the thigh bone. Once the position of the ball is perfect, it will be either cemented to glue it in place or it can be adhered to by a porous substance, which is safe for the body and bones.

Once that is completed, and it takes anywhere between 1 to 3 hours for this process to be completed, you will be taken off the anesthesia and your recovery time will start.

You may also have a catheter placed because, after this surgery, you will find it hard to walk, so it’s better to have a catheter because you can empty your bladder without having to get up and go to the bathroom every now and then.

Recovery After Partial Hip Replacement Surgery

Here are some things you need to take care of, post-surgery:

The recovery time is different for everyone, but the general rule of thumb is that you will be needing help to walk and move around for a couple of weeks. The recovery time for a partial hip replacement surgery is about 5 to 6 weeks.

After the surgery, you want to keep exertion to a minimum. This is why you will be given crutches to walk in, to alleviate the pressure from your hips.

Keeping your legs up will do wonders for you. If you keep your legs down for longer periods of time, there might be fluid retention in that area and it can lead to pressure buildup near the hips, which can cause a lot of pain.

Speaking of pain, after the surgery, you will be administered IV pain medication to help deal with any sort of discomfort you’re feeling. It’s completely normal for people to be in pain or feel pain near the hips or the incision, after the surgery. As time passes, your dependency on pain medicine will become less and less, until you don’t need them anymore. Your surgeon may suggest you pain management clinics Woodbridge for this purpose.

You will also need to be mindful of certain movements, which could injure or hurt your hip. This is why you should consult with your doctor about how further you can push your body to move and do things, without affecting the hip.

Things To Do And Not To Do After Partial Hip Replacement Surgery

Here are things which you should and shouldn’t do after partial hip replacement surgery:

  • Take advantage of the crutches. Without them, you might experience a lot of difficulty in walking, especially right after the surgery.
  • Don’t overdo it. Listen to your body and get in tune with it. You don’t want to put any unwanted stress and pressure on your newly healed hip.
  • Exercise! Not all movements are bad for your hip. In fact, some exercises might help you heal faster. You will have to join a rehabilitation program and they will tell you what kinds of exercises are best for you.
  • Have someone with you to take you to and from the hospital, because you won’t be able to drive until the doctor gives you the go-ahead. Usually, it takes about a month to 2 months for you to be able to drive again.
  • Focus on your diet. Create a diet plan that can speed up the recovery.

Potential Risks Of Partial Hip Replacement Surgery

Here are some risks of partial hip replacement surgery. Keep in mind that these things seldom happen, but as protocol, the patient should know about these things.

  • Nerve damage is a general complication in any type of surgery. There are nerve endings almost everywhere in your body and during surgery, the doctor needs to be careful, to not damage any nerves during the process. Nerve damage can lead to permanent numbness in the leg and even loss of sensation in other areas.
  • Blood clots can turn a hip replacement surgery into a full-on medical emergency. Things can take a deadly turn if the blood flow can’t reach the legs and other organs like the heart and lungs, and this normally happens because of blood getting thick and clotted in the veins.
  • Infection in the incision is also a common risk and it needs to be properly taken care of. Make sure that the incision doesn’t get wet and always look out for signs of swelling around the incision, and insanely high fever. If that happens, inform your doctor as soon as possible so that things can be controlled.

Conclusion

There you have it! Partial hip replacement surgery is different from total hip replacement surgery, and it can be done to heal the serious injuries of the ball and socket so that you can resume life activities as normal. Prepare for the surgery with the help of your hip replacement surgery surgeon Woodbridge for faster recovery.