Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement can eliminate your pain, restore your independence, and improve your overall quality of life. Even better, the specialists at North Point Orthopaedics in Munster or Crown Point, Indiana, offer a less invasive version of hip replacement that can get you moving faster than traditional open surgery. Find out if you’re ready for a total hip replacement by calling the office to schedule an evaluation today or requesting an appointment online.

Why would I need a total hip replacement?

Not everyone is ready for a total hip replacement. The specialists at North Point Orthopaedics carefully consider your age, overall health, and degree of disability before recommending the surgery.

For instance, you may be a candidate if your discomfort and immobility interfere with your sleep, daily routine, or overall quality of life. A badly damaged or diseased hip joint can make even the simplest movement, such as arising from a chair, too painful to contemplate.

Other reasons for considering hip replacement include pain/dysfunction that:

• Worsens or persists despite medication and other therapies
• Makes it difficult to rest comfortably when seated
• Interferes with walking even with a cane or other assistive device
• Prevents you from engaging in social activities you enjoy
• Limits your independence

The most common medical conditions requiring total hip replacement include advanced osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and hip fracture or dislocation resulting in osteonecrosis.

Osteonecrosis occurs when blood supply to the ball portion of the hip joint is restricted, causing the bone to collapse. 

What happens during a total hip replacement?

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that includes the upper thigh bone (femoral head) or the “ball” that fits into a concave surface on the pelvis called the acetabulum. This cup-shaped depression forms the socket of the joint. 

Every case is different but generally, during total hip replacement surgery, your North Point Orthopaedics surgeon removes the uppermost portion of your thigh bone (femoral head) and inserts a metal stem into the center of the femur. 

A metal or ceramic ball placed on the prosthetic metal stem replaces the damaged femoral head. 

Your specialist then removes the damaged cartilage in the acetabulum and attaches a metal socket held in place with screws or cement. A plastic, ceramic, or metal spacer fitted between the prosthetic ball and socket allows smooth, frictionless, pain-free movement of the new hip joint.

What is minimally invasive total hip replacement?

During minimally invasive total hip replacement, your North Point Orthopaedics surgeon accesses the hip joint via one or more short incisions rather than the continuous long incision used during traditional surgery. Your specialist may also change the location of the incisions.

This approach reduces trauma to the surrounding muscle and other tissue structures and usually speeds recovery while decreasing postsurgical pain.

Schedule an evaluation at North Point Orthopaedics today for more information about total hip replacement. Call the office or book a visit online.