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Hip Replacement Q. What is a hip replacement?A. It is a metal and plastic covering for raw, arthritic bone ends. The device replaces cartilage that has worn away over the years. Hip replacement can eliminate pain and allow you to move easily with less discomfort. Q. Who should have a hip replacement? A. When arthritis hip pain severely limits your ability to walk, perform, or work, hip replacement should be considered. Q. Is there an alternative to hip replacement? A. Hip replacement is recommended only after careful diagnosis of your joint problem. It is not likely that anti-inflammatory drugs or cortisone injections will give you the same long-term relief that a hip replacement will. Q. How long is the hospital stay? A. The average hospital stay for a hip replacement patient is about three days. Q. How long is recuperation? A. Recovery varies with each person. You will use a walker for approximately 6-8 weeks after the operation. You can drive a car 8-10 weeks post-operatively. Most people gradually increase their activities to play golf, doubles tennis, or bowling in a 12-week period of time. After discharge, most patients require a short stay at a rehab center. This will depend on how you progress in the hospital. Keep in mind that healing and recovery times vary with each person. Q. What is the success rate? A. Hip replacement surgery is recognized as a miracle of modern surgery. Most orthopedic experts consider hip replacement to be the best method of handling arthritis in the hip. Hip replacements have put literally hundreds of Americans back on their feet to enjoy their active lives once again. Q. Are there complications? A. As with any surgery, there is a risk of complications after hip replacement surgery. Your surgeon will discuss the most common complications with you. To reduce the risk of infection, we take special precautionary measures in the operating room, and use powerful antibiotics. Our personnel are limited to fully trained and experienced nurses and technicians. Q. What about pain? A. Thanks to advances in medication technology, we are able to keep you very comfortable after surgery. After surgery, any temporary discomfort does not compare to the pain of arthritis endured by most people in months and years prior to surgery. And because knee replacement patients are not "sick," you will not be treated as such. You will wear casual clothing after surgery, not hospital gowns.
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