Total Hip Replacement

What is a total hip replacement?

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. In a total hip replacement, also called a total hip arthroplasty, the worn ball at the top of the thighbone is removed and replaced with a new ball on a stem that fits inside the bone. The socket in the pelvis is resurfaced with a metal cup and a liner. The new ball and liner glide against each other the way healthy cartilage once did.

Who may benefit

Generally, the patients who benefit the most are those with severe hip pain that limits everyday activities such as walking, putting on shoes and socks, or sleeping, and that has not responded to non-operative treatments such as medications, injections and therapy. Dr. Maish evaluates each patient individually.

How Dr. Maish approaches it

• Muscle-sparing approaches, including the direct superior approach, designed to limit disruption of the muscles and tendons around the hip.
• Careful planning of implant position, leg length and stability, informed by more than 2,000 revision operations and what he has learned from them.
• Opioid-sparing pain control with the goal of getting you moving early.

What to expect

Most patients walk the day of surgery. Many go home the same day; others stay in the hospital, depending on the plan that is best for you. Your care team will tell you which movements, if any, to avoid while the hip heals.

Risks

In addition to the risks of any joint replacement, a hip replacement can dislocate, and the legs can end up slightly different in length. Every operation has risks. For joint replacement these include infection, blood clots, stiffness, continued pain, injury to nerves or blood vessels, fracture, and loosening or wear of the implant, any of which could require additional surgery. Dr. Maish spends an hour with you and your family before surgery going through the risks and what you can do to lower them.

Ready to talk about your hip? Make an appointment.

This page is general education, not medical advice. Only an examination and a conversation with your surgeon can tell you what is right for you.