Hip Replacement Surgery: What You Need to Know

If hip pain makes your daily life difficult and has become unbearable, hip replacement surgery may be the solution for you.

This surgery allows you to regain your freedom of movement by reducing severe pain. Here are frequently wondered about hip replacement and what you need to know:

What is hip replacement and why is it performed?

Hip replacement is the process of removing the damaged hip joint and replacing it with an artificial joint made of metal, ceramic or plastic. This procedure is usually preferred in cases such as hip dislocation, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic arthritis or hip fracture. The aim of the surgery is to reduce pain and restore the function of your joint.

Who is it suitable for?

If you have the following problems, hip replacement may be suitable for you:

• Severe pain: If you have pain that does not go away even at rest and makes your activities such as walking, sitting and getting up difficult.
• Limitation of movement: If you have difficulty performing your daily tasks due to stiffness in your hip.
• If other treatments have not worked: If medication, physiotherapy and injections do not control your pain.

Operation Process

Before the hip replacement surgery, I examine you in detail and evaluate the condition of your hip joint with the necessary imaging and tests. During the operation, the damaged joint area is removed and replaced with a prosthesis. The operation usually takes 1 hour and is performed very safely with modern surgical techniques.

What is life like after the operation?

Hip replacement surgery is a successful and satisfying treatment with 99% patient satisfaction in studies. Patients are walked within 24 hours after the operation. There is almost no pain in the postoperative period. You may need to stay in hospital for 3 days. The healing process usually varies between 3-6 weeks. Regular exercises help you to adapt to your new prosthesis and help your joint to function optimally.

Most of my patients enjoy being able to walk and sit up and down painlessly after surgery. This is a step that greatly improves your quality of life.

Are there any risks of the operation?

As with any surgical procedure, hip replacement surgery may have some risks. These include infection, blood clot formation, loosening or dislocation of the prosthesis. However, these risks are minimised if the surgery is performed by an experienced team and postoperative recommendations are followed.

Hip replacement surgery can give you back the freedom of movement you have lost due to hip pain. If your pain is affecting your quality of life negatively, take your treatment without interruption. Remember, a pain-free life may be closer than you think! 😊