Three Most Common Risks of Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement has truly been one of the innovations of the medical world. A great number of people, who would have been otherwise immobilized in the bed or wheelchair, have been able to resume daily activities and enjoy a better quality of life.

Undergoing a hip replacement, while very beneficial to many people, will always be a major decision and only taken after a long discussion with the doctor and serious deliberation by the patient and his family. As has been in all medical procedures, certain risks are involved and these things should be taken into consideration before taking that crucial move.
For those who may be considering taking this course of action in their present state right now, it might be helpful to know possible risks involved in such a procedure. It might also be worthwhile for all of us to know the possible complications in the event we get to this point as we grow older and become candidates for arthritis.

The most common risks or complications are the following:

Blood Clots

Blood clots in the legs and pelvic area are common as a result of lesser leg movements after the procedure and from the pressure in the veins during surgery. Blood thinning medications are usually given to prevent blood clotting and this is maintained for several weeks after the operation. In most cases compression stockings are given to keep the blood circulating.

Infections

Infections may become very serious complications and may require surgery to remove or replace the device if the condition does not respond to antibiotics. These infections can occur at the site of the operation and in tissues near the implant. Infections may appear days or weeks after the procedure or it may strike the patient after a number of years. To reduce the risk of infections, antibiotics are prescribed by the doctor when certain medical procedures are performed.

Stiffness

The bodys natural response to a surgery is to create scar tissue in the skin and deeper down the insides of the joints. During contraction of the scars, the soft tissues surrounding the joint may tighten which can cause difficulty in sitting, walking or bending and generally making it difficult to move the hip. To counter this possibility, the patient is advised to start as soon as possible an aggressive physical therapy to increase blood flow through the veins. Other methods used in addressing this are medications and manipulation by the doctor under anesthesia.

While these risks and possible complications may be serious, past experiences have shown that these could be treated and avoided with the proper precautions. Records will show that hip replacements have been successful in more than 90 percent of the cases and have been known to last as long as 20 years.

It should be noted, though, that these risks are the normal complications associated with these procedures. They are entirely different from those being experienced by thousands of patients as a result of their use of allegedly defective devices such as the Depuy ASR Hip Replacement Systems. Complaints have been mounting and, in fact, these products have been recalled from the market.