Hip Replacement in Raleigh, NC
Hip replacement is a procedure that can be very beneficial for those who have developed a hip joint that is painful and not able to move as freely as it once did. This type of surgery is most often performed on adults with hip arthritis who are no longer able to move their hips on their own but are still limited in daily activity because of the pain. An orthopedic surgeon performs hip replacement in a doctor’s office. After the procedure has been completed, the patient may need to stay in the hospital for a few days before returning home. The rehabilitation that will follow can be extensive and may take several months before the patient is able to return to work or engage in any sort of physical activity.
Hip Surgery
Before undergoing hip replacement surgery, a patient must consult with his or her doctor about what the best plan of care would be. Orthopedic surgeon Raleigh recommends performing this procedure using a minimally invasive technique known as arthroscopic hip replacement surgery. The surgery involves making small incisions in the hip joint and moving the diseased portion of the joint to where it can be replaced with an artificial hip joint. However, some doctors prefer to perform hip replacement using a more invasive surgical procedure. This means that the doctor will make larger incisions and will also remove a large amount of the joint from the patient’s hip as well. The doctor will then replace the hip with a titanium or acrylic implant that will remain in place until the patient is fully healed.
Recovery Process
During the recovery process, an orthopedic surgeon will likely prescribe a range of treatments to help speed up the healing process. Some of these treatments will be used to prevent further damage to the hip joint and other areas of the body that tend to be affected by the hip replacement surgery. These treatments may include weight loss, immobilization of the hip, and wearing appropriate support stockings and other leg and hip support gear. In many cases, patients who have undergone hip replacement surgery find that they are able to return to most of their pre-injury activities within a few weeks of the procedure. For most people, the recovery time for hip replacement procedures is around six months to a year.
