Total Hip Replacement Surgery

I had total hip replacement surgery, and I'm glad!

"First performed in 1960, hip replacement surgery is one of the most important surgical advances of the last century. Since 1960, improvements in joint replacement surgical techniques and technology have greatly increased the effectiveness of total hip replacement. Today, more than 193,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the United States. Similar surgical procedures are performed on other joints, including the knee, shoulder, and elbow." - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)

In 2007 I learned that I have osteoarthritis. It never occurred to me that OA was the cause of the hip- and leg-related pain I felt. I assumed my pain was caused by a back problem I had when I was in my late 20s and which bothered me slightly from time to time. I thought I was too young to have arthritis!

Later the same year I had total replacement of my right hip. It was an extraordinary experience - the very first time I was allowed to stand up after surgery, I realized that all of the nasty pain I'd been dealing with on my right side (leg included) was gone. It felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from me.

I knew that the left hip would need replacing eventually, and it finally got bad enough that I had the surgery 18 months later, in 2009. Again, the pain was completely gone after surgery, and with two new hips I was ready to go.

The bottom line -- if your hip joints have degenerated to the point that you are in severe pain and have limited range of motion and mobility, and if you and your medical team feel it's right for you, have the total hip replacement surgery done if you can. It is worth it.

Note: There are different types of hip surgeries performed these days. Total hip replacement surgery is one of a number of types of surgery that you and your medical team may consider. Each person's situation is different - what was right for me may not be right for you.

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis - the main culprit behind the need for hip replacement surgery

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects tens of millions of people in the United States (and plenty more around the world) and accounts for 25% of visits to primary care physicians, and half of all NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) prescriptions.

By age 65, about 80% of the American population will have radiographic evidence of OA. Only about 60% of those will demonstrate OA symptoms. However, young people can and do get osteoarthritis. Athletes are among those who are likely to get it at a younger age.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis. This is because cartilage does not regenerate (ongoing research hopes to change this).

Chronic pain is the main symptom of OA. It causes the loss of mobility, reduced range of motion, and often stiffness. "Pain" is generally described as a sharp ache, or a burning sensation in the associated muscles and tendons.

In theory, any joint in the body can be affected by OA. It commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and the large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees. As OA progresses, the affected joints appear larger, are stiff and painful. Usually the more affected joints are used throughout the day, the worse they feel. This is one factor that distinguishes osteoarthritis from rheumatoid arthritis.

(This information comes from Osteoarthritis Research Today.)

***For more information about arthritis, see How To Fight Arthritis and Osteoarthrisits: understanding it and fighting arthritis pain.

What is hip replacement surgery?

Overview of total joint replacement surgery

Total joint replacement: the removal of damaged bone or joint tissue, which is then replaced with metal, ceramic and plastic parts. This surgery has been widely used for many years with excellent results, especially for knees and hips. Other joints, such as shoulders, elbows and knuckles, may also be replaced. This surgery has enabled many people who were severely disabled to become more active. -Arthritis Foundation

Total Hip Replacement from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) will help you understand the benefits and limitations of total hip replacement.

Free brochure from The Arthritis Foundation - Surgery and Arthritis: What you need to know. Includes surgery pros and cons, questions to ask your doctor, costs, the structure of joints, types of surgery, joints that benefit from surgery, preparations, and follow up care. 24 page brochure.

Questions to ask your doctor about surgery and recovery.

Image (c) AAOS

A Step In The Right Direction

By Patrick Perry

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus readily admits the path to becoming one of the greatest golfers of the 20th century wasn’t without pain and sacrifice–particularly in the hip. It may come as a surprise to many that the “Golden Bear” achieved such a remarkable string of victories while suffering from intense debilitating hip joint pain. In 1963, while playing the final hole of a pro tournament, Nicklaus missed an approach shot and suffered such pain in his left hip that he was forced to endure 23 cortisone injections over a 10-week period.

Initially, Nicklaus shrugged off his osteoarthritis pain, believing it a minor annoyance rather than something that would eventually define his life. But over time, the chronic pain chipped away at even routine and pleasurable activities.

Nicklaus–in company with such celebrities as Elizabeth Taylor, Charlton Heston, Mike Ditka, and Luciano Pavarotti–is one of the estimated 375,000 Americans who undergo hip replacement surgery each year, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Experts project this number will continue to rise as the population ages.

Read the complete article....

(an interview with Joseph C. McCarthy, a member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a clinical professor of orthopedic surgery at Tufts University School of Medicine and staff orthopedic surgeon at New England Baptist Hospital, specializing in hip replacement surgery)