Hip replacement, also known as pelvic arthroplasty, is the most common variety of orthopedic surgical treatment today. The most common reasons for undergoing a hip replacement are treatment of arthritis, and replacing a fractured pelvis. Either half of the hip bone can be replaced – hemiarthroplasty – or the entire hip. In the past century, hip bones have been replaced with components made of materials such as ivory, metal and ceramic, and improvements are continuously being made to the design of the implants in order to better mimic the function of the original joints in the patient.

The first hip replacement surgery to use modern-day techniques is usually credited to Sir John Charnley, a British orthopedic surgeon who developed a number of significant innovations to the procedure in the 20th century that are still widely used today. Materials used most commonly nowadays for prosthetic hip parts are titanium, cobalt, or chrome alloys, ceramic from zirconium oxide or aluminum oxide, and polyethylene, with the total weight of the implants being roughly 14 to 18 ounces. They almost always take the form of a ball and socket device attached to a stem, designed to permit maximum rotation and flexibility, and facilitate ease of movement as naturally as possible. The implants can be cemented to the thigh bone in some cases, uncemented in others. When cemented, the patient is usually able to walk immediately after the procedure, however in the 1980s cementless replacements were pioneered, allowing direct attachment to bone without the use of cement. The lack of bone and marrow continuity does not disrupt normal bodily functions such as nerve endings transmitting sensation to the brain.

However, there a number of risks and complications inherent in such a process that a prospective replacee should be aware of. The greatest risk is that a ball implant will come out of its socket, resulting in dislocation. More experienced surgeons have a far better track record of avoiding dislocation, so for this reason more experience on the part of the orthopedist is a crucial factor. Another danger is that of osteolysis – when particles of synthetic debris rubbing loose from the implant are absorbed by neighboring bone, resulting in an impairment of their integrity. This condition can be avoided by using implants made of ceramic materials. Materials made entirely of metal have recently been shown to cause additional complications in patients with metal sensitivity.

Botched operations have resulted in cases of nerve palsy, which takes a long time to recover from, as well as chronic pain due to damaged nerves or tissue. On occasion, one leg can be left slightly longer than the other one on account of a hip replacement operation. In some cases hip operations have even resulted in the death of the patient, though this occurs less than 1 percent of the time. Men weighing over 165 lbs have the greatest risk of failure. In general though, the vast majority of hip replacement surgeries are successes, with an 80% chance that the replacement hip will last for 20 years or more, thus enabling patients to live fuller lives with far less arthritis pain than beforehand.

www.OSC-Ortho.com provides state-of-the-art orthopedic care including interventional pain managemenbt and physical therapy. For patients suffering from sports injuries, be sure to check out this section of our website.

http://www.OSC-Ortho.com provides state-of-the-art orthopedic care including interventional pain managemenbt and physical therapy. For patients suffering from sports injuries, be sure to check out this section of our website.

Author Bio: www.OSC-Ortho.com provides state-of-the-art orthopedic care including interventional pain managemenbt and physical therapy. For patients suffering from sports injuries, be sure to check out this section of our website.

Category: Medicines and Remedies
Keywords: Medicine, Health, aging