Advances in modern medicine have made artificial surgical hardware much more durable, but even today’s technology isn’t immune from wear and tear. Moreover, because of advancements in artificial implants, the average age of a hip replacement candidate continues to get younger, and that means implants are expected to last for an even longer time. Even though they are designed to last for life, many patients who have had an artificial hip for 15-20 years or more begin to experience some of the same pains they had in their hip that led them to consider hip replacement in the first place.
For those patients, a hip revision operation may be the best option. We take a closer look at the hip revision procedure in today’s blog.
What Is Hip Revision Surgery?
Hip revision surgery is a procedure that can help patients who have already undergone a hip replacement procedure reduce symptoms caused by wear and tear on their artificial ball and socket. During a revisional procedure, the artificial ball and socket that was previously inserted is removed and replaced with new components.
But why might someone need to undergo a revision operation? Any of the following issues can suggest that your hip replacement hardware has run its course and needs to be replaced:
- Pain and discomfort similar to when you first sought out hip replacement surgery
- Repetitive hip dislocations
- Mechanical failure such as loosening or breaking
- Development of an infection
- Periprosthetic fracture
- Significant loss of mobility in the hip joint
However, even if you have these symptoms, there’s no guarantee that your hip specialist will recommend a revision operation. Your age and health will be considered prior to the procedure, and you’ll likely be asked to try physical therapy to see if it can help address some of your discomfort. After all, a second surgery is a big undertaking that will want to be avoided if possible. With that said, if imaging tests show that there is a mechanical problem with your worn hip joint or an infection is compromising the integrity of the ball and socket, a second operation may become necessary.
A hip revision operation is more complex than the original replacement for a couple of reasons. For starters, there tends to be a lot more bone damage than there was at the time of your first operation, so it’s not as simple as popping off the ball and socket and inserting new hardware. Oftentimes special tools and implants are required in order to compensate for this damaged bone and weakened tissue in the area. The surgeon may also need to remove bone cement that was used in the initial surgery, and this is a time consuming process. And in some cases, a controlled fracture of the femur will be conducted to remove hardware. The femur is then put back together when the new stem piece is inserted.
Once the old implants have been removed, the bone surfaces will be prepared and metal augments or bone grafts may be added to make up for bone loss. Finally, your doctor will insert the specialized revision implants and use multiple screws to secure it in place until the bone graft can grow and stabilize the area. The surgeon will then test the motion of the joint before removing their tools and closing the incision site.
Orthopedic Hip Surgeon
Nobody wants to undergo a revision hip replacement procedure, but it’s starting to become more common as younger individuals seek out hip replacement to combat their hip discomfort, and it can provide great pain relief when performed by a skilled hip replacement surgeon like Dr. Botero. He and his team can answer any questions you may have about the procedure or your hip pain. For more information, contact his office today.
