Preparing for Total Hip Replacement Surgery: What You Need to Know – When you’re about to undergo a surgery, you must want to know everything about it and then how to prepare for it, ensuring the best possible outcome. One of the most common surgeries is total hip replacement surgery also known as THR which would replace a damaged or worn-out hip joint with an artificial one. Here’s everything you need to know on preparing for total hip replacement surgery.
What is Total Hip Replacement?
The goal of this surgery is to restore function, relieve pain, and improve the life quality of people who have been suffering from hip joint issues by removing their old and damaged hip joint with prosthetic components which could be made from metal, plastic or even ceramic. While it could sound quite scary for a lot of people, this surgery is very common so you don’t have to worry too much about it.
There are three main components of a hip prosthesis. The first one is the acetabular component which is a cup-shaped part that would be implanted into the pelvis to replace the damaged socket. The second one is the femoral component which is a stem and a ball that would replace the top of the femur. Lastly, there’s the bearing surface which is the surface between the ball and socket that could be made from metal, plastic or ceramic.
Variety of Conditions That May Require THR
There are several conditions that may require this surgery with osteoarthritis as the most common one. Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in the joint wears away, resulting in pain and then stiffness. Then there’s rheumatoid arthritis which is an autoimmune condition that would cause damage and inflammation to the joint.
Next, severe hip fractures, especially in adults with advanced age may require a replacement because usually the bones would not be able to heal properly. Another condition is called avascular necrosis which happens when the blood supply to the femoral head is interrupted which then would lead into bone death.
A genetic issue could also require THR which is DDH or Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip. This happens when the hip joint of a newborn baby doesn’t form properly. Last condition that might require THR is post-traumatic arthritis which is an arthritis resulting from a previous hip injury.
Various Benefits of THR
There are so many benefits of this procedure but the main reason people undergo THR is to get rid of the excruciating pain caused by several hip joint issues. After that, a successful THR would also restore the patient’s range of motion so the mobility would be improved. A patient could go back to walking, jogging, or climbing stairs again.
After that, reduced pain and improved mobility would enhance the patient’s quality of life, making everyday life easier and more comfortable. Lastly, prosthetic components that are replacing the damaged hip joints are designed to last long to make sure patients enjoy the benefits as long as possible. They could last for 15-20 years and even longer.
Risks
Preparing for total hip replacement surgery would also mean learning about the risks since every surgery, no matter how common it is, would pose a list of risks to the patient. The first risk that could happen is an infection, which could occur at the surgical site. But don’t worry, the risk of an infection happening at the surgical room is quite rare.
Next, blood clots could happen such as deep vein thrombosis or DVT and pulmonary embolism or PE. This could likely happen during the recovery if movement is limited. After that, there’s the risk of dislocation of the new artificial joint. This could happen particularly in the first few months after the surgery, during the recovery process.
The prosthesis could also pose a risk to the patient. The new prosthetic components may loosen or wear out over time. And when that happens, a revision surgery would be required. There’s also the risk of nerve or blood vessel injury that could happen during the surgery.
How to Prepare
If you’re about to undergo a total hip replacement surgery, there are multiple steps you could do to make sure you are prepared. First, you need to do a thorough consultation with your surgeon that would assess your medical history, perform a physical exam, and order imaging tests such as X-rays or even MRIs if necessary. This would help the surgeon to evaluate the extent of damage, and help them plan the best approach for the surgery.
Next, you may undergo lab tests such as EKG and chest X-ray to evaluate your general health. You would also get checked for any infections. After that, you also need to tell your surgeon about all of your medications, including supplements, and herbal remedies. This is important as some of these could increase the bleeding risk and interfere with the anesthesia.
Physical preparation would also be needed before the surgery such as certain exercises that would strengthen your hip muscles so the recovery could be improved. If you’re overweight, losing some weight before the surgery could help since it would reduce the stress on the new joint which then would improve the outcomes of recovery. Also, if you smoke and regularly drink alcohol, you need to stop well in advance of the surgery since they can slow down the healing process.
BIMC Kuta
If you’re in Bali and want to get a THR surgery, you should choose the best place to do it, which is the BIMC Kuta. We are an excellent and trusted hospital in Kuta and all of Bali that was established in 1998 so you don’t have to worry about our experience and excellence.
Preparing for total hip replacement surgery with BIMC Hospital Kuta would be convenient and comfortable since we have 24-hour Medical Center that would cater family medicine programs, consultation, medical check-ups, and even on-call to hotels. Go to https://bimcbali.com/bimc-hospital-kuta right now to get more information. BIMC Emergency 24 Hours at +62 361 761263, BIMC Call Centre to book your appointment at +62 811 3960 8500.
