Total Hip Replacements are commonly performed orthopaedic operation to relieve pain and restore movement that occurs due to damaged hip. There are a number of medical conditions that may need treatment with hip replacement, but majority cases include people with severe arthritis of the hip which leads to significant pain and restriction in function. As hip replacement is now increasingly being recommended to the elderly as well as young patients, it is best to anaylze the long term impact on the quality of life after total hip replacement.
Some recently published studies and reviews help shed light on what are the health-related quality of life impacts from having this operation for the osteoarthritis of the hip.
Primary hip and knee arthroplasty have shown to result in a substantial increment in the patient’s quality of life. Although the result is less effective in the case of revision hip and knee replacement, it still showed a positive gain in quality of life. However, it is important to remember that there are a number of factors that can affect the quality of life after an operation. Some important factors are the type of implant, post-operative care, and the damage prior to the surgery. Due to all these, there can be a considerable variation in patient outcomes across all kinds of procedures.
The surgery is done to improve the symptoms such as pain and restore the range of movement that occurs due to advanced stage hip diseases, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and avascular necrosis. These patients are initially recommended non-invasive treatment options including NSAIDs, physical therapy, and other methods. When the pain is too severe and the symptoms do not improve with these methods, surgery is suggested to treat the condition and eliminate the symptoms. A total hip replacement surgery involves the replacement of the damaged hip joint with artificial implants. These implants are fixed with cement or screws and plates to secure the joint. After the operation, these implants function as natural parts and allow the patient to move comfortably. These implants usually last for 15-20 years. However, it is important to take proper care of replacement to maintain their shelf life. Patients are advised to not take part in high impact sports to prevent dislocation or injury to the implant parts. In the case of a dislocation, which is a post-surgical complication of hip replacement, a revision surgery might be required. Revision hip replacement is a more complex procedure that may have more risk of complications. Post-surgery recovery and rehabilitation are also very important to maintain a good quality of lifer after the operation.
Also, total hip replacement with the Cementless method has shown to effectively treat patients with a period of no infection in the hip for more than 10 years. This results in good outcomes for functional ability and fewer complications. Therefore, the risk of infection and complication is recurrence after total hip replacement in these patients seems to be very low. In comparison to the cemented hip replacement surgery, the cementless procedure had several advantages including low periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) rate and a higher survival rate of the artificial prosthesis. Also, there is no bone loss even though the bone is loosening, which contradicts the obvious osteolysis in bone cement implants and the risk of adverse events related to cement, such as cardiopulmonary complications, is nil.
As hip replacement is a major surgical procedure that has high prices in most countries and operative risks that can cause complications. The cost of hip replacement surgery in India is remarkably lower in contrast to Western countries. Many patients from different countries come to India on a medical visa for their joint treatment. Indian hospitals have an excellent success record of effectively treating various kinds of orthopaedic conditions. The world-renowned surgeons in India use advanced technology and superior quality implants for joint replacements. The techniques such as minimally invasive surgery allow patients to recover quickly, get back to work sooner, and have less post-operative pain and discomfort. The patients undergo a detailed medical evaluation for their condition and based on these the doctors determine the type of surgery and technique that will be the best for the patient.
