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Hip Replacement Surgery

How Does Your Hip Work?

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint where your thigh bone joins with your pelvis. Surrounded by cartilage, muscles and ligaments, your hip is the largest weight-bearing joint in your body. Smooth cartilage and bone help you walk easily and without pain.

The hip joint is powered by large muscles and is covered with a rubbery type of tissue that pads the joints. When all of the parts, cartilage, muscles and tendons are healthy, a hip should move easily.

A hip is diseased when one or more parts of the hip are damaged and movement becomes stiff. Over time, cartilage starts to crack or wear away. When this happens, the bones making up the joint rub together. Stiffness and pain occur when the ball starts to grind in the socket. Unfortunately, cartilage does not have the ability to repair or replace itself like other tissues in the body. Once cartilage is damaged or destroyed, it is gone forever.

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What is Total Hip Replacement Surgery?

Total hip replacement is a surgery to take out the damaged parts of your hip joint and replace them with new parts.

During hip replacement surgery, your surgeon will:

  • Put you under anesthesia.
  • Make a cut so they can access your hip joint.
  • Remove the damaged parts of your bones and/or cartilage.
  • Replace the removed parts with metal and plastic implants.
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Hip Replacement Options

The direct anterior approach to hip replacement surgery lets your surgeon access your hip joint through the front of the hip. Then, your surgeon will work through the muscles around your hip without having to cut these muscles.

This approach can have several benefits. It may:

  • Let you return to your normal routine faster after surgery.
  • Be less painful.
  • Give you a faster recovery time.
  • Make it less likely that your hip will dislocate.

Why aren’t all hip replacements performed through direct anterior approach?

Hip replacement can be performed through:

  • the back of the hip (posterior approach)
  • the side of the hip (lateral or anterolateral approach)
  • the front of the hip (anterior approach)
  • or through a combination of approaches.

The implants and tools that your surgeon uses must be able to be used with direct anterior approach. Special surgical tables aren’t necessary. But using a special table may help your surgeon get your hip replacement implant positioned just right during surgery.

Outpatient, or short-stay, total hip replacement surgery is now being performed on select patients who are healthy enough to undergo surgery in this setting.

Advantages of outpatient surgery can include:

  • Reduced hospital stay.
  • Possible reduced chance of infection.
  • Possible increased patient satisfaction.1

Ask your doctor if he or she is performing outpatient total hip replacement surgery and if you are a candidate.

Exactech Hip Replacement System

Exactech Hip Replacement System

Exactech’s total hip replacement implants are designed to make the most of your range of motion after hip surgery.

Exactech hip implants are designed to be strong and preserve your natural bone.

Some of the unique features of the Exactech hip system include:

Parts designed to hold up well over time

Titanium material is used in many hip implants.

Titanium has been shown to help your body grow natural bone for a more stable implant.2-3

With any surgery, there are potential risks, and results will vary depending on the patient. Joint replacement surgery is not for everyone. Check with your physician to determine if you are a candidate for joint replacement surgery. Your physician will consider the risks and benefits associated with this procedure, as well as individual factors such as the cause of your condition, your age, height, weight and activity level.

 

The information contained within this website is for educational purposes only and is not providing medical advice. This information is not intended to replace the expert guidance of your orthopaedic surgeon. Please direct any questions or concerns you may have to your orthopaedic surgeon. Decisions concerning patient care and treatment should be made solely by your physician(s). With any surgery, there are potential risks and results will vary depending on the patient.

  1. American Association for Hip and Knee Surgeons. Outpatient Hip or Knee Replacement. https://hipknee.aahks.org/outpatient-hip-or-knee-replacement/
  2. Data on file at Exactech. 711-12-80 Titanium Plasma Spray Technical Profile
  3. Data on file at Exactech. TR-2010-021. Implant Fixation in an Ovine Model (EBM, DLMS, Plasma) – Executive Summary