Whether to have total knee replacement surgery should be a cooperative decision made by you, and your orthopedic surgeon in the States. Your primary physician may refer you to an ort surgeon for a thorough evaluation to determine if you could benefit from this surgery.
You may benefit from hip replacement surgery if:
*Hip pain limits your everyday activities such as walking or bending.
*Hip pain continues while resting, either day or night.
*Stiffness in a hip limits your ability to move or lift your leg.
*You have little pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs or glucosamine sulfate.
*You have harmful or unpleasant side effects from your hip medications.
*Other treatments such as physical therapy or the use of a gait aid such as a cane do not relieve hip pain.
Most people who undergo hip replacement surgery in our clinics experience a dramatic reduction of hip pain and a significant improvement in their ability to perform the common activities of daily living.
Following surgery, you will be advised to avoid certain activities, including jogging and high-impact sports, for the rest of your life. You may be asked to avoid specific positions of the joint that could lead to dislocation.
Even with normal use and activities, an artificial joint (prosthesis) develops some wear over time. If you participate in high-impact activities or are overweight, this wear may accelerate and cause the prosthesis to loosen and become painful.
You will be admitted to the hospital on the day of your surgery. Prior to admission, a member of the anesthesia team will evaluate you. The most common types of anesthesia for hip replacement surgery are general anesthesia (which puts you to sleep throughout the procedure and uses a machine to help you breath) or spinal anesthesia (which allows you to breath on your own but anesthetizes your body from the waist down). Our anesthesia team will discuss these choices with you and help you decide which type of anesthesia is best for you.
The surgical procedure takes a few hours. Your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone and then position new metal, plastic, or ceramic joint surfaces to restore the alignment and function of your hip.
Many different types of designs and materials are currently used in artificial hip joints. All of them consist of two basic components: the ball component (made of a highly polished strong metal or ceramic material) and the socket component (a durable cup made of plastic, ceramic or metal, which may have an outer metal shell).
Special surgical cement may be used to fill the gap between the prosthesis and remaining natural bone to secure the artificial joint.
A noncemented prosthesis has also been developed and is used most often in younger, more active patients with strong bone. The prosthesis may be coated with textured metal or a special bone-like substance, which allows bone to grow into the prosthesis.
A combination of a cemented ball and a noncemented socket may be used.
Your orthopedic surgeon will choose the type of prosthesis that best meets your needs.
After surgery, you will be moved to the recovery room where you will remain for 1 to 2 hours while your recovery from anesthesia is monitored. After you awaken fully, you will be taken to your hospital room.
Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement
Our orthopedic surgeons are world experts in using new minimally invasive surgical techniques for inserting total hip replacement implants through smaller incisions.
Minimally invasive hip replacement allows for quicker, less painful recovery and more rapid return to normal activities.
You will usually stay in the hospital for a few days. After surgery, you will feel pain in your hip. Pain medication will be given to make you as comfortable as possible.
Walking and light activity are important to your recovery and will begin the day of or the day after your surgery. Most patients who undergo total hip replacement begin standing and walking with the help of a walking support and a physical therapist the day after surgery. The physical therapist will teach you specific exercises to strengthen your hip and restore movement for walking and other normal daily activities.
After a consultation your surgeon in Poland will be able to tell you if you would benefit from minimally invasive hip replacement as opposed to full surgery.
