Hip replacement surgery can restore the mobility of an individual and improve their quality of life. But it is important to be cautious once you have had a hip replacement so that you are able to make the most of this surgery. However, there are circumstances where you will need to have a revision hip replacement.
There are several reasons for a revision hip replacement.
This is also called hip revision surgery. This is usually done when the artificial hip joint that was previously implanted fails or gives rise to issues. If you are experiencing problems you can reach out to the orthopaedic clinic of Dr Matthew Barnes. With time the hip joint that was implanted can be subjected to wear and tear. This can cause it to dislocate or malfunction. Sometimes, an infection can occur at the surgical site. This can also happen if an infection from a different part of the body spreads to the hip joint causing inflammation to go up. There are also times when the hip implant fails due to it not being placed properly or having manufacturing defects in the artificial joint. There can also be breakage of components. Some individuals will experience bone loss around the hip joint and this will make the implant unstable. A revision surgery will be required in this situation to restore stability. If the individual experiences a fall or accident again, this might cause a fracture around the hip implant.
This surgery is a complicated procedure
And the existing artificial hip components need to be removed so that they can be replaced. There will be a thorough evaluation carried out before the surgery which will include imaging tests so that the surgeon has a good understanding of your situation. This allows them to assess the condition thoroughly and understand what is happening with the hip joint and the structures surrounding it. To ensure you are pain-free during the surgery, general or regional anaesthesia will be provided. The surgeon will then make an incision over where the previous hip replacement scar is so that they can access the joint.
The existing artificial hip components will then be removed.
Sometimes there may have been bone cement used in the previous hip surgery and this will have to be removed as well. If the bone tissue is damaged, this needs to be addressed. If the patient has bone loss, then a specialised implant or a bone graft will be considered in order to reconstruct the structure of the bone. Once the issues have been addressed, the surgeon will place the new hip implant components. The incision will then be closed to stables or sutures and sterile dressings will be applied. It can take a long time to recover from a revision hip replacement compared to the surgery you had initially, there will be a hospital stay to monitor your progress and you will need to work with a physical therapist to recover from the surgery so that your mobility and strength can be restored.
