Omaha Total Hip Replacement

Total Hip joint replacement can be done by making an incision in the posterior (back), the lateral (side) or the anterior (front). The lateral and posterior approaches are the more traditional methods of hip joint replacement. The anterior approach is a newer, minimally invasive procedure that allows the surgeon to reach your hip joint more directly. In the lateral approach, it is necessary to cut through some muscle to reach your hip joint, but in the anterior approach the surgeon can work between the muscle and tissue to avoid disturbance. The hip can be replaced without detachment of the muscle from the pelvis or femur during surgery. Using the anterior approach, the most important muscles for hip function, the gluteal muscles, are left undisturbed and do not require a healing process to recover from surgical trauma.

Omaha Total Hip Replacement Information

Benefits of having Omaha Total Hip Replacement using the anterior approach includes: • A quicker recovery. Recovery from anterior hip surgery usually takes two to eight weeks, while recovery from lateral hip surgery takes approximately 2-4 months. • Less muscle trauma with the anterior approach. • Shorter hospital stay. Lateral hip surgery patients usually stay in the hospital 3-10 days and anterior surgery patients may be able to go home after just two to three days. • Movements are restricted with the lateral or posterior approach for 6-8 weeks. After a lateral hip operation, patients need to limit the movement of their hip, which makes sitting and climbing stairs difficult. Anterior hip replacement allows patients to immediately bend their hip freely and bear full weight when comfortable, resulting in a more rapid return to normal function. After surgery, patients are instructed to use their hip normally without restrictions. In supervised therapy, patients go up and down stairs before their hospital release. • Smaller incision. Lateral approach needs a 10-12 inch incision and the anterior approach needs only a 4-5 inch incision. • Anterior approach also has less pain, less blood loss, reduced risk of dislocation, more accurate leg length control and more rapid return to normal function.

Omaha Total Hip Replacement Information

There are things you can do to help your arthritic hip. The following are suggestions: • Cut back on activities that increase the pain in your hip such as using an elevator and not the stairs and avoiding long walks. • Don’t be sedentary-force yourself to be active. Being sedentary will not slow down the arthritis and will lead to muscle loss and decreased bone strength. Walk in a swimming pool and using a stationary bike are great ways to exercise without putting stress on the hip. • Use a cane to take the pressure off the hip when walking. It should be the correct height and held in the opposite hand as the affected hip. • Losing weight will help decrease pain but will not completely relieve the pain. • Gold injections and methotrexate injections for rheumatoid arthritis given by a rheumatologist. • Cortisone injections into the hip given by an orthopedic surgeon can provide relief of pain for 6 months and more. • NSAIDS ( non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work well to decrease inflammation and pain in arthritic joints. Some are over-the-counter while others are obtained by prescription only. • Pain medications- whether over the counter or by prescription are tried when NSAIDS no longer work. • Glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, when given together provide relieve similar to NSAIDS with less side effects.