Hip replacement - Total Hip Replacement procedure

Hip replacement is an astonishingly successful operation. In the UK there are more than 40,000 hip replacements performed every year, the vast majority of which serve their owners well.

The main reason to have a hip replacement is osteoarthritis of the hip. The major weight-bearing joints are often affected by arthritic change, causing significant pain on walking and later, on sitting or lying down.

The technology of hip replacement has advanced quickly since the late 1960s when the process really got going. Someone today can expect their joint replacement to last for 15 years as long as they look after it.

The five facts of implant fixation

We all happily accept the idea that a hip or a knee can be put into the body and work well, but we have little idea what is actually going on in there. So what happens when we put a series of different materials into our bodies and take thousands and thousands of steps on them?
This explains the secrets of how surgeons fix a foreign object into the body and how it reacts over time.

Which hip replacement?

Choosing the right hip replacement is important. Mostly our surgeon chooses the implant for us and most people don’t even ask what sort of hip is being used. It is hard to know which is the best to have. There are so many! And what about the ones which failed and had to be withdrawn?

Revision hip replacement

As more and more people have hip replacements, the numbers of people needing their joints to be redone also increases. Unfortunately joint replacement doesn’t always go well, sometimes there are infections or other problems. Over time hip replacements do fail and may need to be redone sooner or later. This is quite different to the first time….

What do I need to do after a hip replacement?

Rehabilitation after hip replacement is mostly straightforward, with normal activity and walking doing most of the necessary work. At times there may be a very stiff or very weak joint which needs physiotherapy. It’s useful not to push too hard as this can compromise the long life of the new hip.