The problem with hip pain caused by arthritis is a great concern for the ageing population. However, with the introduction of hip resurfacing, it is made possible to resolve this problem with minimal bone loss, health care providers say. This is one of the alternatives to total hip replacement surgery that some surgeons are performing, especially among younger individuals. The sad part is that the procedure may not be advisable for all because there might be some problems when it is performed in individuals who are not suited for it. Nowadays, most patients are trying to avoid having a hip replacement and are looking for other alternatives because of the Pinnacle hip failures detected in ultrasound imaging reported by some people.
Before the surgeon advices the patient to go through the operation, there are some requirements that need to meet and have exhausted all the non-surgical means of addressing the hip pain. Gender, type of body frame and age are factor that may affect the success of the procedure.
Gender
Men are more favorable to undergo this type of surgery compared with women, according to a study. The failure rate in women was unexpectedly high, unlike in men, which made surgeons decide not to perform the said operation on women, according to the Telegraph.
Type of Body Frame
Large-framed individuals who have high bone density may be able to benefit more from this surgical treatment. Those who have a smaller frame are at risk of fracturing the neck of the femur which is considered to be one of the most common concerns after the surgical operation. The femoral neck is sculpted to attach the prosthetic ball and stem.
Age
Younger individuals less than 50 years old are able to go through this operation with lesser complications, according to the Dr. Craig Della Valle in his interview for the Saturday Evening Post. Fracture is still the problem in this category and is likely because of the decrease in bone density brought about by aging.
It is important to see if one qualifies for the procedure before deciding on having it. The surgeon is tasked to explain all the related risks and benefits of the said surgical treatment to the patient. Some of the risks are similar to that of the all-metal total hip replacement except for the femoral neck fracture. The patient may need to be monitored even after surgery to ensure that there are no complications.
URL References:
- telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9579203/Hip-replacement-method-unacceptable-for-women.html
- rushortho.com/news/della_valle_post.cfm
- muschealth.com/healthyaging/bone_density.htm
- orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00586
