Know all about Hip Replacement Surgery

A hip replacement surgery is a treatment performed to treat hip injuries. It mainly aims at curing hip joint pains, irregular movements of the hip bone, and improves the mobility of the affected part. There are many reasons why hip replacement surgery can be advised by a doctor. 

The main causes of Hip Replacement surgery are:

1. Accidents and trauma: In cases where a patient gets in an accident and injures their hip bones, or experiences dislocated joints then Hip replacement surgery is recommended to cure the condition.
2. Osteoarthritis: As the name suggests, it is a common form of arthritis that affects mid-aged and old age people. When the cartilage that is cushioning the bones wears down, it can result in a joint injury. This injury is painful and can trouble until treated with surgery.
3. Rheumatoid arthritis: When a person is experiencing Rheumatoid arthritis their synovial lining of the joints get inflamed. This leads to unbearable pain and stiffness. To ease the circumstances, the patient is treated with hip replacement surgery.

Hip replacement surgery is a very difficult surgery that is performed with the help of general anesthesia. If a patient is diagnosed with any of the above-mentioned diseases or has faced trauma in the near past resulting in the dislocation of the hip bone, a fracture, affected mobility etc, then they are advised hip surgery. 

Surgery is advised when it interrupts sleep, the pain persists for a long time even while the patient is consuming medicines. A patient thus is unable to walk or move up and down from stairs. 

How is the diagnosis done for hip replacement?

Before planning and preparing for the hip replacement surgery, a diagnosis is made by the doctor which helps them in deciding the type of hip replacement surgery that must be carried out, the site of surgery etc. 

1. Medical History: While gathering the medical history, your doctor will ask you questions regarding the intensity of pain and if you are able to perform daily tasks with ease or not. 
2. Physical Examination: In the physical examination the doctor will give you certain exercises that will assess your mobility, movement and alignment.
3. X Rays: X Rays are important because they help the doctor understand the amount of deformity and damage that has been caused. It is on the basis of tests like MRI and X-RAY that the type of surgery is decided.

India is a good destination for hip treatments. Different types of surgeries are carried out with ease and at affordable prices. The cost of bilateral hip surgery in India is also very affordable. 

Also read: Bilateral Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India

How should a patient prepare for hip replacement?

Once the diagnosis is complete, the patient must start to prepare for the surgery. Before the surgery begins, the patient is advised to give some tests and examinations to ensure that you are in good health. 

• The patient is advised to fast about 8 hours before the surgery. 
• If the patient weighs more then the doctor will advise you on some exercises to help the patient gain a healthy body weight before surgery. These exercises will help the patient to strengthen the bones as well. 
• Before the surgery, the patient must be ready to make several lifestyle changes like quitting the use of alcohol and smoking for complete recovery. 
• Once the patient is ready for the surgery, then the process begins.

How is hip replacement surgery performed?

This surgery is performed under general anesthesia. When the surgery begins, the patient is given anesthesia and made to lie down. The hip replacement surgery typically lasts for 2 hours. In this surgery, the surgeon will clean the skin with an antiseptic solution and make an incision on the hip in order to operate the cartilage and bone which has been damaged. Once the cut is made, the bone, tissue or cartilage that has been damaged will be replaced by an artificial part. Once the alignment of the hip is corrected, the surgery will be complete. The patient will now be relocated to the recovery room where the patient will stay for the next 7-8 hours. Once the patient recovers fully, they will be discharged.

Life after the Hip replacement surgery: 

When the surgery is completed, the first few weeks after it, will be very important. Once the patient goes home, S/he will have to follow a certain set of instructions in order to recover quickly and completely. To manage the pain, the doctor will give some medicines to the patient that will help to provide relief from the pain. A healthy diet and medicines on time will be a must if the patient wants to recover quickly. Apart from a good diet, a very significant component will be exercise. The patient will have to maintain a regular exercise routine for the next two to three months. This routine will help the patients ease discomfort and regain their normal body movement.

There might be some instances where a patient does not feel fine after the discharge. There can be complications and risks in the hip replacement surgery like-

• Infections in the treated area
• Formation of blood clots in the legs or lungs
• Inequality in the leg-lengths 
• Excessive pain and bleeding
• Occurrence of nerve injury might result in numbness and feeling of tiredness in the body parts.

If the patient is experiencing any of the above-mentioned problems then s/he should consult their doctor immediately.

India is one of the best destinations for hip replacement surgery. The Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India generally starts from 5500 USD which is extremely cheap as compared to other countries. With the best equipment, high-quality machines, and experienced surgeons, India makes up a top choice among foreign medical tourists.

Best Hospitals in India for Hip Replacement Surgery:

• Fortis Hospital, Gurgaon
• Max Hospital Saket, Delhi
• MGM Healthcare, Chennai
• MIOT Hospital, Chennai
• Apollo Hospital, Delhi
• Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai

Top Doctors in India for Hip Replacement Surgery:

• Dr. Narender Kumar Magu (Pioneer in “Hip Preservation/Reconstruction/Proximal Femoral Osteotomies”)
• Dr. Vivek A. N.
• Dr. Yuvraj Kumar
• Dr. Vivek Mahajan
• Dr. Yash Gulati
• Dr. Prakash M Doshi
• Dr. Suresh Bhoja Shetty
• Dr. Sanjay Desai
• Dr. (Prof) Pradeep Bhosale
• Dr. Sunil Shahane