Hip is one of the largest weight bearing joints in the human body. It plays a vital role in mobility and stability. A variety of causes may lead to destruction of this joint, the most common being Osteoarthirtis, trauma to the joint, rheumatoid arthritis, congenital causes (Hip dysplasias) and avascular necrosis. When this happens, replacement of the damaged portion is essential for alleviating pain and improving the quality of life.
Though a variety of factors may lead to hip damage, the common causes are listed below
- Osteoarthritis: it is caused due to the degradation of cartilage inside the associated hip joint. As a result, the bones get rugged against each other and cause wear and tear.
- Hip fracture: an intense hip damage caused by an accident will requires replacement surgery.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Misdirected action of immune system on the joint lining causes rheumatoid arthritis. It can lead to hip damage.
- Hip dysplasia: It is the abnormal growth of hip bones. Hip replacement will be necessary to correct hip dysplasia. Mostly, younger individuals are affected with these kinds of disorders.
- Avascular Necrosis: It is the deformity in the joint caused by reduced blood supply of the head of femur bone leading to its collapse. It is common in smokers, steroid use and deep sea divers. Young individuals are commonly affected.
The common symptoms that patients face are
- Continuous pain.
- Difficulty in walking
- Shortening of the leg
- Inability to squat
- Reduced hip movements
The realistic results that the patient can hope to achieve following a hip replacement surgery are
- Significant pain relief
- Improved ambulatory status
- Increased hip movements
- Correction of shortening
- Active lifestyle
Types of Hip Replacement are broadly categorized into two types.
- Partial hip replacement (Surface replacement): As the name indicates, only a part of the hip which is worn out is replaced. Hip joint is made of 2 bones the cup of the pelvic bone and the head of thigh bone(femur). When only the head is involved, then this surgery is the ideal choice.
- Total hip replacement: Total joint arthroplasty is indicated when both the cup and the ball gets worn out. This is the most commonly done surgery and has good results in terms of pain and activity level.
