Anterior Hip Replacement
Minimally invasive anterior hip replacement replaces the painful and arthritic hip ball-and-socket joint with medical-grade metal and plastic. This eliminates your pain and restores your function and activity. Outpatient services available.
FAQs
What is the most common reason to need a hip replacement?
The most common reason my patients have their hips replaced is arthritis. Arthritis is wearing away of the smooth cartilage lining in your hip joint that makes movement painful. Generally arthritis is more common in individuals older than 60 and is associated with joint stiffness. If you're having difficulty getting in and out of the car, putting on your shoes and socks, or doing your athletic activities (tennis, golf, biking), it may be due to arthritis.
What is the difference between anterior and posterior hip replacement?
Anterior and posterior are terms to describe where your incision is placed during hip replacement. For anterior hip replacement (the type of hip replacement I do) the incision is on the front of your hip. For posterior hip replacement, the incision is on the back of your hip (buttock area). Anterior hip replacement generally allows for a quicker recovery. Dislocation rates (i.e. the ball popping out of the socket after surgery) are lower with anterior hip replacement compared to posterior hip replacement. Because of this, patients don't have movement restrictions after anterior hip replacement.
How do I know when I need a hip replacement?
If you've been told that you have hip arthritis then it's generally recommended to see a joint replacement surgeon to learn about your non-surgical and surgical treatment options.
My general recommendation to patients who have hip arthritis who are considering joint replacement is to go forward with surgery when you're at the point of having more bad days than good days. If your hip pain is hurting you so much that each day is miserable, then that is a good sign that it may be time to have surgery.
What we're learned from our research is that patients with BMI < 40, non-smokers, and who don't have diabetes tend to have the most favorable outcomes after surgery.
How long do I stay in the hospital after hip replacement?
Most of my patients are able to go home on the same day as surgery or the next day. I strongly discourage my patients from going to a nursing / extended recovery facility after surgery as the research has shown that these are associated with worse outcomes compared to patients who go back to their homes after surgery.
What does the actual hip replacement surgery entail?
After an incision is made over your hip and the hip joint is entered, the arthritic portions of your hip joint are completely removed. A metal shell is impacted into your pelvis bone and a titanium stem is placed into your thigh bone. A medical grade plastic liner is placed as well as a ceramic head piece giving you a smooth painless gliding surface again. Hip replacement surgery takes about two hours to complete.
How quick is the recovery after hip replacement?
Generally, most patients are doing most things six weeks after surgery. The first few days you'll spend relaxing at home managing your pain. By the end of the first week, you're moving around pretty good and participating in your home exercises. Formal physical therapy is generally not needed and I don't prescribe movement restrictions for my patients after hip replacement which makes your home recovery easier.
What is the success rate of hip replacement?
Hip replacement surgery has been named the most successful surgery ever created. The success rate for this surgery is high, with greater than 95% of patients experiencing relief from their hip pain. The success rate of hip replacements 10 years after surgery is 90-95% and at 20 years 80-85%.
