Hip Replacement
Not everyone with hip pain is a good candidate for hip replacement surgery. It’s a decision you must discuss with your physician, orthopaedic surgeon, and family. Although most replacements occur in patients ages 50 to 80, there are no age or weight restrictions for hip replacement surgery – decisions are based on patient pain and disability.
You are a likely candidate for surgery if your hip pain:
- Limits your daily activities
- Continues during rest
- If you don’t get relief from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, or walking supports
Hip replacement can be done with minimally-invasive surgery that lessens blood loss, reduces scarring, and shortens hospital stays. Our orthopaedic surgeons make one or two two-to-five inch incisions along the front of the hip and insert either a metal or plastic implant.
Replacing a hip today can be done through minimally invasive surgery. During this type of procedure, highly skilled surgeons typically make one to two cuts between two and five inches long along the anterior, or front, of the hip. Metal and plastic implants are the most typical replacements. With ball-and-socket replacements, surgeons also insert a plastic spacer.
Read about Anterior Total Hip Replacement Surgery, a special kind of hip replacement that enables a faster recovery.