Not
all hip replacements last the patient’s lifetime. Patients
who had their hip replaced at an earlier age are more
likely to wear the prosthesis out after 10-15 years.
A revision (reoperation) might be necessary at anytime
during the lifetime of a hip replacement.
The
most common reasons for a reoperation are
-
Aseptic
loosening: With every step a patient takes, tiny
particles are abraded from the moving parts of a
hip replacement. These can be plastic, metal or
ceramic depending on what the moving parts are made
of. These particles can cause bone loss around the
pelvis and/or thigh bone. This can go unnoticed
for the patient for many years. At some point it
will cause new onset of pain and the patient will
seek medical attention. The surgeon will perform
special x-rays to evaluate the old implants and
the amount of bone loss. During the operation, the
old implants will have to be carefully removed and
new, usually cementless components implanted
-
Infection: An infection can occur anytime after
the initial operation. Most infections happen many
years after the first operation and also present
with new onset of pain. The infection will spread
around the soft tissues and bone at can cause severe
bone loss. The surgeon has to remove the original
prosthesis and implant a temporary one. The patient
will also receive antibiotics for many weeks. Once
the surgeon is sure that the infection is cured,
a new prosthesis is implanted.
-
Dislocation:
This can also happen at any time. If it happens
many years after the first operation, loosening is the most common reason. Often, the
hip can be put back under an anaesthetic but sometimes
an operation is necessary.
-
Fracture:
A fall can cause the bone to break around the hip
replacement. The fracture can often be fixed with
a plate but sometimes a new hip replacement has
to be implanted.
Q:
How long is the recovery after revision hip surgery?
A:
This depends on the complexity of the procedure but
usually between six and twelve months.
Q:
What are the complications of revision hip surgery?
A:
These are similar as those after a primary total hip
replacement but much more frequent.
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