Hip resurfacing treatment provides an alternative solution to a hip replacement. If you are experiencing pain, stiffness and a reduced range of movement in the hip joint, it may be recommended as a treatment option. It preserves more of your natural bone by reshaping and covering the surfaces of the femur head and the acetabulum, essentially both the ball and socket in the joint.
What are the benefits of hip resurfacing? How do you know whether the treatment option is right for you? It’s natural to be asking yourself these questions when looking to undergo treatment so here’s everything you need to know.
Key Benefits of Hip Resurfacing
When you undergo hip resurfacing treatment, you will benefit from:
A reduction in pain
One of the main benefits that you will find after hip resurfacing is a reduction in pain. The treatment aims to reduce swelling, stiffness and discomfort by allowing the joint to move freely. Resurfacing treatment reduces the chances of dislocation when compared to a full hip replacement leading to less pain long-term.
Increased mobility
Once you have healed from surgery, most people find that they can return to physical activity without compromise. This is one of the main reasons why people opt for hip resurfacing instead of a full hip replacement.
Better biomechanics
Often when you experience pain and discomfort, your body makes allowances and overcompensates in other areas. Following treatment your hip joint will be moving better and safely within your restored range of movement.
Who is a Good Candidate for Hip Resurfacing?
As with any treatment, not everyone is a good candidate for hip resurfacing. Due to the nature of the surgery and the intention to retain as much bone as possible, your bone health has a significant impact on the decision making. In general, the best candidates for hip resurfacing are:
- People who are under the age of 60
- People who are physically active and healthy
- People who have strong, healthy bones
The size of your hip bones will also play a role in whether you are a good candidate for treatment. The larger your hip bones, the better candidate you are. As men commonly have larger bones than women, they usually make the best candidates, but it’s important to remember that every individual is unique.
The Surgical Procedure: What to Expect
On the day of your surgery, you will likely be given general anaesthetic to put you to sleep, although regional anaesthetic to numb the area is used on occasion. If regional is used, rest assured that you will be given other medication such as sedatives to make you sleep.
When the operation begins, your surgeon will make small incisions around your hip joint that will be used to insert a camera and other instruments. They will firstly remove damaged cartilage and bone from your hip socket before inserting the prosthetic acetabulum.
Once inserted, they will start to reshape and trim the edge of your femur to ensure that it fits properly into the prosthetic socket. Once reshaped, they will place a cap on the femur that is commonly made from metal or ceramic. Finally, they will realign your hip joint and insert your femur into the new socket.
The process usually takes two to three hours in total, but this will vary in each case. Once completed, you will be taken to the recovery room for nurses to monitor you as the anaesthetic wears off.
Recovery and Rehabilitation After Hip Resurfacing
Once surgery has taken place, you will spend a short stint in hospital; usually two or three days. During this time, nurses will ensure that you recover from your anaesthetic well and a physiotherapist will give you exercises to do both in and out of bed. These will help your new hip joint to move and begin to strengthen the muscles around it. Generally, the day after surgery, you will be taking your first steps. By the time you return home, you will be familiar with moving around with the help of an aid or crutches.
You will need at least a few months of physical rehabilitation after returning home. Your healthcare provider will teach you the exercises that you need to continue performing for good recovery. For optimal rehabilitation, you will need to be doing them multiple times a day. You should look to stay active and increase the distance that you are walking each day and continue taking painkillers as prescribed and needed.
It will take a few months for you to recover completely from hip resurfacing surgery which makes it a desirable treatment option compared with a full hip replacement. If you have a manual job, you will likely need to take the entire recovery period off from work. If you have an office-based job, you will need a few weeks off work in most cases. But remember that each person’s recovery journey is unique and you should listen to the advice of your healthcare provider for your specific needs.
Potential Risks and Considerations
Hip resurfacing treatment is usually a safe and effective procedure. But as with any surgery, there are risks and considerations involved. These include:
- Infection
- Blood clots
- Femoral neck fracture
- Nerve damage
- Dislocation of the hip joint
- Metal to metal ionisation
Prior to treatment your surgeon should help you to weigh up the risk versus reward of undergoing surgery as well as discuss any risks that are unique to your personal circumstances.
Making an Informed Decision: Is it Right for You?
If you are wondering whether hip resurfacing is the right treatment for you, then speak to Dr David Slattery.
He has a wealth of knowledge, over a decade of experience and specialises in hip orthopaedics, so can discuss your needs and goals, and he will answer any queries or concerns that you have. Get started today by completing an online enquiry form or calling 03 5752 5020.
