All You Need To Know About Minimal Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery

All You Need To Know About Minimal Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery

Minimally invasive hip replacement surgery is also known as laparoscopic surgery, arthroscopy or a keyhole surgery. This is a treatment administered to patients diagnosed with hip arthritis. The objective of this procedure is to replace the hip joint with orthopedic implants that help the joint regain its functionality. A minimally invasive hip replacement surgery involves one or two small incisions on the outside of the hip area. As this procedure needs lesser dissection of soft tissues it is preferred by patients worldwide.

Although, it must be said that every case of hip arthritis may not be treated with minimally invasive hip replacement. In many cases, considering factors such as age, extent of joint damage and health of the patient – a traditional hip replacement surgery may be the only option.

Who is prescribed to go for a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?

Patients who are suffering from hip arthritis due to age or continuous trauma in accidents are recommended this procedure. Such patients usually sustain heavy damages to the ball and socket of the hip joint rendering the joint dysfunctional and painful.  In the minimally invasive hip replacement surgery the worn out femoral ball is replaced with a metallic ball resting on a stem. This stem is then pushed and placed into the thigh bone or femur.

These implants are made from titanium and consist of a half dome shell which fixes itself into the pelvic bone socket and makes the normal functioning of the joint possible.

What is the procedure for a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?

A minimally invasive hip replacement surgery begins with a small incision or two on the outside of the hip area. Not more than six inches. The doctors use x-ray images to visualize the organs they are working on and for affixing the implants that are needed. After making required incision, the muscles and tendons are detached. After placing the implants the muscles are restored to their original position to allow them to heal. This displacement of muscles in the minimally invasive hip replacement surgery is to a lesser extent than that of a traditional hip replacement surgery. Traditional hip replacement surgeries usually require incisions of six to eight inches across the hip area which involve muscle dissection and soft tissue dissection. This makes the traditional hip replacement surgery a much more cumbersome procedure which needs a longer time to recover from.

What implants are used for minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?

The implants used for a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery are the same as the implants used for traditional hip replacement. It involves:

  • A metal stem to replace the damaged femoral head.
  • A ceramic or metal ball is placed on the upper part of the metal stem to replace the damaged femoral head.
  • A metal socket replaces the damaged acetabulum to complete the apparatus. Sometimes screws or cement are used to hold the socket in place.
  • A plastic, metal or ceramic spacer is also inserted between the socket and ball to allow for a smooth gliding movement.

What are the benefits of a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?

In terms of recovery and after effects of the surgery there are a plethora of benefits offered by the minimally invasive hip replacement surgery as compared to the traditional hip replacement surgery. They include – less pain and trauma, lesser incisions and dissection of soft tissue, less muscle damage, faster rehabilitation and shorter downtime for the patient.

The average hospital stay for a patient in case of a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery is as short as one or two days. This procedure neatly streamlines the recovery process thus normalizing the patient’s life at the earliest.

What can one expect after a minimally invasive hip replacement surgery?

At first, very minimal movement is allowed for the patient as the joint needs to recuperate and accept the implants fitted in. Use of pillows and other supportive materials is suggested to help maintain the correct position. As there is fluid loss in the body due to surgery, most patients are given fluids through an intravenous tube to substitute for the loss. For urine discharge a catheter is used until the patient is capable of moving around.

After one or two days, the patient will be able to sit and even walk a few steps with assistance. Once this is possible, a physiotherapist helps the patient learn exercises to strengthen the joint and to speed up the recovery. Very soon, the patient is able to return to normal life.

Uteshiya Medicare is a supplier and manufacturer of premium quality trauma implants and orthopedic implants in India. For many years, experts at Uteshiya Medicare have developed affordable and high quality implants to help doctors treat injuries caused by trauma and other orthopedic disorders. Apart from knee and hip joint replacement, Uteshiya Medicare is a leading name in spinal implants, trauma implants, sports medicine and many other orthopedic implants.

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