How to decide on Hip Replacement Surgery in India

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Background to Hip Replacement Surgery:
 Total hip replacement surgery is offered to people whose hip joints have been damaged either by injury or by conditions associated with old age such as arthritis. Although it is a common surgical procedure, it is also a major hospital operation that replaces your original hip joint with an artificial one. If successful it usually results in a greatly improved quality of life, with less pain for the patient. All our Indian hospitals conduct this operation routinely and frequently.

How to Decide on the appropriate Treatment
Hip replacement surgery is a commonly performed and generally safe surgical procedure, and for most people, the benefits are far greater than the disadvantages. (For example 50,000 arthroplasties as they are professionally named are conducted in the UK every year).

However, in order to make a well-informed decision and to give your consent, you should be aware of the possible side-effects and also understand the risk of complications.

After a hip replacement procedure, the area is likely to be uncomfortable for at least several weeks. There may also be some temporary pain and swelling in the knee and ankle which is a result of the trauma of the operation on your body.

Specific complications of hip replacement surgery are rare but can include those listed below.

  • The new hip can get infected after the procedure but generally antibiotics are given during surgery to help prevent this.
  • The new joint may dislocate (ie the ball comes out of its socket). If this type of dislocation takes place repeatedly, then another operation may be needed.
  • Very small cracks can be made in the bone while the new joint is being fitted. Usually these heal, but on some rare occasions a fracture can then result, which will require additional treatment or surgery.
  • The operated leg may turn out to be a different length.
  • Nerves or blood vessels in the leg can get damaged during the operation but this is very rare.
  • It is possible to develop a blood clot in the veins of the leg (known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT). Sometimes this clot can break off and cause a blockage in the lungs. In most cases, this is treatable, but it can be a dangerous condition. Most people are given medicines and compression stockings to wear during the operation to help prevent deep vein thrombosis condition from occurring.
  • The hip can loosen over time, most commonly after 10-15 years, possibly requiring another operation to replace the loose hip with a new one. This is not uncommon but new materials and designs are reducing the risk of this.

The chance of problems depends on the exact type of operation you are having and other factors such as your general health. You should speak to your surgeon or medical adviser.

NHS Direct has some useful comments on hip-replacement surgery complications (External website Quoted below)

Loosening of the joint, especially after about ten years, has been a major problem that has so far defied solution. The shaft of the prosthesis becomes loose in the hollow of the thigh-bone or becomes dislocated. Re-operation (revision surgery) is necessary in around 10% of all total hip replacement cases.

Because of the tendency to loosening, and because this is more likely if the joint is heavily stressed, hip replacement is not commonly performed in young and physically active patients. Some surgeons reserve total hip-joint replacement for patients over 60.

Another common later complication of hip replacement surgery is inflammation due to a reaction to particles that have worn off the artificial joint surfaces and absorbed by surrounding tissue. The bone may get eroded causing the implant to become loose. Anti-inflammatory drugs may stop the problem, but if not, revision surgery may be advised.

Less common complications include:

  • Loosening of the new joint, or wearing away of the joint or bone next to it.
  • Infection – this has been reduced by giving antibiotics at the time of surgery, and by using 'clean air' ventilation in theatre, but still occurs in around 10% of cases.  Deeper infection is serious and requires removal and re-implantation of the joint.
  • Blood clots forming in the deep veins of the leg (deep vein thrombosis); rarely they can detach and get stuck in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
  • Abnormal bone growth beyond the normal ends (heterotopic bone formation).

Very little information is available on the long-term safety and reliability of MoM hip resurfacing as it is a relatively new technique. A National Joint Registry will monitor people who have had MoM hip resurfacing to see if it meets a target of less than 1 in 10 devices needing replacing after 10 years. Your surgeon should explain the risks and benefits associated with MoM hip resurfacing if you are suitable to have this operation.

Globe Health Tours Hip Replacement Surgery Packages to India

Globe Health Tours can facilitate a surgery visit for you at a number of hospitals in India and Thailand:

We have teams in India who manage your stay and provide you with support whenever you need it. Please contact us to find out how we can help you.