Hip Revision Surgery: All You Need To Know

Hip revision surgery is a procedure that aims at replacing or removing a worn-out, loosened, or misaligned implant to relieve pain and enhance the function of the hip implant. Usually, hip revision surgery is more complicated and time-consuming than the original hip replacement procedure. However, hip revision surgeries rank among the most successful surgeries in Chevy Chase alongside knee joint replacements. Implants may fail for various reasons prompting the need to visit a Chevy Chase hip revision surgery specialist. Some of the most common reasons hip implants fail include:

Loosening due to the cement bone loosening
Wear and tear, especially for hip replacements that use polythene cups
Infections
Fractures
Dislocation
Patient-related factors

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What to Expect

A hip repair surgery may involve one of the multiple kinds of surgery. In some cases, you may need to repair or replace parts of the implanted hip joint. Other times, you may need the whole implant replaced. You may also need to rebuild or repair the bone surrounding the joint. Your doctor will talk to you about the details of the procedure you need.

When Do You Need a Hip Revision Surgery?

You may need hip revision surgery if:

Part of your hip implant break of and irritates the surrounding bone and tissue. This will trigger an immune reaction from your body which fights against the irritant and your healthy bone, a condition known as osteolysis.
You have an aged hip implant, especially among young patients.
Infections arise after the initial surgery. Your surgeon can either treat it by replacing parts of the implant or replacing it entirely, depending on the severity of the illness.
You dislocate your hip joint due to trauma or other reasons that cause the ball-and-socket to malfunction. Hip revision surgery can realign the artificial joint.
You suffer a fall accident resulting in a hip fracture.

Hip Revision Surgery

Usually, hip revision surgery is done under anesthesia. Your surgeon may administer general anesthesia where you sleep throughout the procedure or nerve block anesthesia to numb the area of surgery while you stay awake. You will discuss your anesthetic options with the surgeon to determine the best choice for your condition.

The surgery will last several hours. During the procedure, the surgeon follows the line of the original surgery for minimum scarring. They will inspect the actual implant and work on preserving as much natural bone as possible. If you have damaged or lost a significant amount of your bone, they may add other implants to help re-establish stability.

Preparing For a Hip Revision Surgery

If both you and your surgeon feel that hip revision surgery is the best option, they will evaluate to make sure that you are in good health to have surgery. They can order imaging tests such as a CT scan, an X-ray, or an MRI. You may also need to get some blood work done to determine if you have an infection or a reaction to the metallic components of the replacement joint.

In summary, hip revision surgery is a procedure that aims at replacing or removing a worn-out, loosened, or misaligned hip implant. You will need one of the multiple procedures depending on the severity of the damage. The procedure is done under general or nerve block anesthesia. The surgeon may order some tests and imaging scans to determine the cause of the problem before the surgery.