When requiring hip replacement surgery Sydney residents have the option or open surgery or the use of minimally invasive techniques. The primary difference between these procedures is the size of the incision and the resulting scar.
If you choose the open surgery, you receive general anesthesia in the operating room. This puts you into a deep, temporary sleep and causes your muscles to relax. General anesthesia eliminates your awareness during the procedure along with any pain. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a spinal anesthesia as an alternative that still prevents pain.
The surgeon then makes an incision on the side of the hip and moves the muscles to uncover the hip joint. He uses a saw to cut through the thighbone and removes the ball portion of the hip. The surgeon attaches the artificial joint to the thighbone using cement or other materials that cause the remaining bone to form an attachment to the artificial joint.
The surgeon prepares the hipbone surface by removing damaged cartilage and attaches the artificial socket to the bone. He then connects the ball and socket. Sometimes a surgical drain is installed to remove fluid that builds in the incision. Finally, the muscles are reattached and the incision closed.
As of 2017, the open surgical technique is most common. It requires a 20- to 25-centimeter incision. However, some surgeons offer a minimally-invasive surgery. This requires one or two cuts that are 5- to 12-centimeters long. Regardless of the type of incision, the replacement procedure is very similar. However, with smaller cuts, blood loss is reduced, there is less pain after the procedure, patients go home from the hospital sooner and scars are smaller. However, this type of procedure requires a highly skilled surgeon.
Because there is the potential for blood loss, some patients require a transfusion. You should talk with your doctor about donating your blood for use in the procedure if necessary.
Patients usually stay in the hospital for under a week. They often require a triangular shaped cushion between their legs that helps the new joint to remain in place. The doctor inserts a catheter into the bladder so patients do not get out of bed to go to the bathroom. During the day after the procedure, patients often begin physical therapy. Within a few days, the patient should be up and walking but is dependent on a walker, crutches or a cane. Most patients require physical therapy that can take up to several months and should avoid twisting or pivoting for up to 12 months.
