Hip replacement

Chronic pain in your hip can be debilitating and can prevent you from doing the simple things you enjoy in life.  Most patients that choose hip replacement surgery suffer from osteoarthritis.

The procedure can also be used to treat other conditions that cause pain and restricted movement in the hip, such as:

• rheumatoid arthritis 
• hip fracture 
• septic arthritis 
• disorders that cause unusual bone growth (bone dysplasia) 

If you are experiencing severe hip pain and non-surgical treatments have not helped to reduce the pain or improve your mobility, then your consultant may recommend a hip replacement.

A hip replacement takes on average between one to two hours. As a patient, you will usually have a general anaesthetic, spinal anaesthetic, or an epidural. If you prefer to be asleep whilst the procedure takes place, you can discuss this with your consultant.

Your surgeon will make an incision in the hip area, remove the existing hip joint, and replace it with a prosthetic one. This will be made of metal, plastic, or ceramic.

The length of time it takes you to recover from the operation depends on a range of factors, including your age, pre-surgery mobility level, surgical procedure, and the type of prosthesis you choose. However, most patients only need to spend around two days in hospital.

Our dedicated recovery team of specialist orthopaedic nurses and physiotherapists will work with you closely to make sure you build strength and mobility as quickly as possible.