Medical experts say, referring to various clinical studies, that undergoing hip replacement surgeries have provided numerous patients the opportunity to enjoy life once more after years of pain, discomfort, and other problems normally associated with hip disorders. However, not just anyone can avail of a hip replacement surgery even if this has been shown to significantly improve the quality of life of a hip recipient. There are conditions that must be present before a doctor may approve to this life-changing surgical procedure.
Numerous factors must first be considered before this option may be availed. A few examples of these are the patient’s age, present health conditions, commitment of the patient, and the support of the family.
Even if these factors are present, the surgeon would still have to assess the patient’s circumstance before agreeing to such an important course of action. In most cases, the following conditions must exist before a hip replacement surgery may be performed:
Intense Pain and Stiffness
This is the type of pain and stiffness that cannot be relieved by ordinary medications or therapies. A patient with this type of constant pain may have a difficult time performing basic daily routines such as walking, eating, sitting, and even changing of clothes.
Failure of Treatment
Aside from narcotics, all other forms of applicable remedies have been tried and still no improvement has been noticed. The patient may have tried medications, devices, behavioral changes, and injections without any effect even after giving sufficient time for each type of treatment.
Damage to Bones
In instances that damage to the bones has become extensive that failure to address it would only worsen the condition, a hip surgery may be called for. This type of damage may be adequately assessed by the doctor with the use modern imaging equipment.
Disfigurement or Deformity
Also taken into consideration is the extent of the deformity that may have resulted from the chronic hip disorder. The appearance of bowed legs and disfigurement of the overall posture are indications of this.
Possible Risks
Healthcare providers have acknowledged that in any type of surgical procedures, risks will always be there and hip surgeries are no exemptions. Complications from hip replacement surgeries have traditionally accounted for only five to ten percent. With the introduction of the metal-on-metal hip implants, which became popular with many surgeons, this figure has significantly increased.
Failure rates for these metal implants have been very high that hip recipients who have been seriously injured have filed hip implant lawsuits against manufacturers such as Biomet. Legal experts have observed that litigation of these hip implant lawsuits has been moving quite well, including that of Biomet’s multidistrict litigation (MDL). In preparation for the eventual trials of pending hip implant lawsuits, new members were appointed to a very vital Biomet MDL committee, as announced by the court.
References:
orthoinfo.aaos.org
arthritistoday.org
arthritisresearchuk.org
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