Hip replacement is often thought of as a surgery for the elderly. The association of hip replacement with the elderly means that many patients below a certain age likely do not consider themselves candidates for the surgery.
That’s an assumption for a number of reasons as we’ll explore in this blog. Broadly, advances in prosthetic technology mean that age is factoring less and less into the decision to embark on hip replacement surgery, with patients of all ages experiencing significant and long-lasting arthritic pain relief after the procedure. If you’re 45 or younger and wondering if you should discuss hip replacement with your doctor or should seek a consultation with an orthopaedic surgeon, we want to help you make a more informed choice about your health. Read on and better understand.
The biggest factor if you have arthritis, is your degree of disability and pain related to your hip. Hip replacements are performed from teenagers onwards if they have severe symptoms and hip arthritis that is non-responsive to other treatments.
Note that this is general advice, and your situation may change depending on your needs as a patient, the nature of your complaint as well as the presence of any complications or comorbidities and other factors including lifestyle and age.
Increased implant durability
Previously, doctors and surgeons have expressed anxieties about pursuing hip replacement in younger patients. In brief, healthcare professionals were concerned that early surgical intervention would start a sequence of multiple operations, requiring replacement and revision at regular intervals throughout the patient’s life.
The hip is one of the hardest-working joints in the body, offering a wide range of movement and responsible for the bearing of a great deal of force. An improperly selected or implanted prosthesis can quickly deteriorate,
What can’t I do after a hip replacement surgery?
Previously, doctors and surgeons have expressed anxieties about pursuing hip replacement in younger patients. In brief, healthcare professionals were concerned that early surgical intervention would start a sequence of multiple operations, requiring replacement and revision at regular intervals throughout the patient’s life.
The hip is one of the hardest-working joints in the body, offering a wide range of movement and responsible for the bearing of a great deal of force. An improperly selected or implanted prosthesis can quickly deteriorate, causing additional pain for the patient and requiring costly and time-consuming revision surgery.
These fears of endless revisions were not unfounded during the early days of hip replacements, when they only lasted for a short duration of time and there were high rates of complications with revision surgery . As hip replacement surgery has advanced with rapid progress in implant materials and insertion techniques, they are lasting longer and longer. Hip replacements put in today should last at least 15-20years before they require exchange.
Helping you make an informed decision
All of this is to say that if you are considering whether or not to broach the subject of hip replacement with your doctor at the age of 45, it may be a conversation worth having, as many of the risk factors associated with younger-than-average surgery becoming less of a concern.
If you’re interested in taking this discussion further, call Dr David Slattery’s rooms at the Glenferrie Hospital on 03 9819 6934 to book a consultation or request an appointment via our contact form.
SOURCES
- https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/total-hip-replacement/
- https://ard.bmj.com/content/56/8/455
- https://www.popsci.com/hip-replacements-young-patients/
- https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/joint-surgery/types/hip/hip-replacements-young-old.php
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257425/