Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgery, or hip arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure in which an orthopaedic surgeon removes the diseased parts of the hip joint and replaces them with new, artificial parts. These artificial parts mimic the function of the normal hip joint

You may need hip replacement surgery if you have a disease, such as:

Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteonecrosis, which happens when parts of a bone die due to decreased blood supply.
You may also need hip replacement surgery if you fracture (break) your hip from an injury, such as a fall, or from a bone disease.

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint and is one of the largest joints in the body. The upper end of the femur (thigh bone) meets the pelvis to create the joint. The “ball” at the end of the femur is called the femoral head and fits into the “socket” (the acetabulum) in the pelvis.

The goals of hip replacement surgery include:
Relieve pain from the damaged or diseased hip joint.
Improve the function of the hip joint.
Increase mobility.

During a hip replacement, the surgeon makes an incision over the thigh and removes the diseased or damaged bone and cartilage from the hip joint. Next, the surgeon replaces the head of the femur and acetabulum with new, artificial parts. Surgeons have learned how to perform hip replacement with smaller incisions over time to limit the amount of trauma to the soft tissues.

The main parts of most hip replacements that fit against the bone, the socket, and the stem are made of metal. The joint surface (called the bearing surface) may be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. Your surgeon may use a combination of artificial pieces to replace the hip joint. For example:

Metal ball with a plastic socket lining.
Ceramic ball with a plastic socket lining.
Ceramic ball with a ceramic socket or lining.

Why Is Hip Replacement Surgery Needed?

Hip replacement surgery is usually needed to repair damage to the hip joint from.

Osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteonecrosis.
Injuries or fractures from trauma or disease.

Your health care provider may recommend that you try other treatments before having hip replacement surgery, including:

Pain medications.
Physical therapy and exercise programs.
Activity changes to limit strain on your hip.
Assistive devices such as a cane, crutch, or walker.

Treatment of disc herniation

Medications

Over-the-counter pain medications- In the case of mild to moderate pain, medications are helpful.
Injections are given in the spinal area for relief.
Muscle relaxers are prescribed to patients having muscle spasms.

Therapy- Physical therapy can help to reduce pain by suggesting accurate positions and exercises. Surgery- Patients with severe disc hernia end up with surgery. Surgery is suggested when conventional treatments fail to reduce symptoms after 6 weeks. Patients can continue to have poorly controlled pain, difficulty in walking or standing, weakness, numbness, or loss of bowel control.

Generally, surgeons remove only the protruding part of the disc. However, in rare cases, the entire disc is removed. In such cases, a bone graft is used to connect the vertebrae.