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Total Hip Replacement

Hip pain and stiffness limit mobility and diminish your quality of life.  No matter the cause – arthritis, injury, lifestyle-related trauma – if non-surgical approaches like physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications do not effectively resolve your pain, hip replacement at an outpatient hip center may be your best option to help you feel new again.

When considering any surgery it’s wise to educate yourself on the various approaches and possible outcomes.  Details about the procedure, pain levels and medications, recovery timeline and precautions, risks, and aesthetics are likely factors in your decision-making process.  Early on in your discovery process, it may be beneficial to determine whether or not you are a candidate for an anterior approach hip replacement.

Anterior Hip Replacement Surgery has changed the way orthopedic surgeons operate.

Dr. Shawn W. Palmer performs this minimally invasive technique daily and enables patients to recover faster and with less pain.  Most patients go home the same day surgery is performed and walk unassisted a few days later.

What is Total Hip Replacement?

Also known as total hip arthroplasty, it’s a joint replacement procedure where an orthopedic surgeon removes damaged bone and cartilage from the hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint, typically made of ceramic, metal and plastic.

What are the approaches to Total Hip Replacement?

Generally speaking a surgeon will access your hip in one of two ways during surgery: using the posterior approach (from the rear) or using the anterior approach (from the front).  Both are common procedures with positive benefits long term. However, the trauma endured by the body varies greatly between the posterior and anterior approaches, impacting nearly every element of your post-operative recovery as a result.

During posterior hip replacement surgery a curved incision is made on the side of the hip, then muscles and other soft tissue (found at the back of the hip) are cut in order for the surgeon to access the affected hip joint.  The muscles cut during the procedure provide hip stability, and under normal circumstances they prevent your thigh bone (femur) and hip joint (femoral head) from dislocating out of the back of your hip socket (acetabulum).  While these muscles are repaired at the end of surgery, the trauma endured by the body during a posterior approach hip replacement creates significant downsides:

  • Longer post-operative recovery, lengthier hospital stay, longer overall recovery time
  • Increased pain levels that may require stronger medication for remediation
  • Increased risk of hip dislocation and complications
  • Very specific precautions that must be followed
  • A more noticeable incision

What are the benefits of the Anterior Approach?

Conversely, during anterior hip replacement surgery an incision is made at the front of the hip, starting near the top of the pelvic bone, extending down toward the top of the thigh.  By approaching the hip from the front, and utilizing specialized instrumentation, Dr. Palmer is able to work between the muscles, instead of cutting them, and your body endures significantly less trauma.  The advantages and post-operative benefits of an anterior hip replacement make it the preferred method of total hip replacement.

Advantages

  • Can be performed as an outpatient procedure
  • Surgical times average 30 minutes
  • No restrictions following surgery
  • Quick recovery
  • Return to driving in 7-10 days
  • Return to work in 2 weeks
  • Minimally invasive, no muscles cut
  • Minimal blood loss
  • No bladder catheterization
  • No pain pumps
  • More accurate than robotic surgery

Post Surgery Benefits

  • Dramatic pain relief
  • Pain decreases, function improves
  • Better range of motion
  • Minimizes the time from surgery to recovery

Is an Anterior Hip Replacement right for me?

  • Does hip pain limit your everyday activities and affect your quality of life?
  • Does the hip pain continue even while you are resting, day or night?
  • Does hip stiffness limit your ability to move or lift your leg?
  • Do anti-inflammatory drugs or other treatments provide you little or no pain relief?
  • Do you experience harmful or unpleasant side effects from hip medications?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then Anterior Approach Hip Replacement Surgery is worth exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

An anterior approach hip replacement by Dr. Palmer will take somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes.   Your total time from arrival in surgery to the recovery room is approximately 60 minutes.
The simple answer is approximately 20 years, but the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons suggests that a more accurate way to think about longevity is via the annual failure rates. The most current data suggests that hip replacements have an annual failure rate between 0.5-1.0%. Using this as our guide, if you have your hip replaced today you have a 90-95% chance that your joint will last 10 years, an 80-85% that it will last 20 years, and so on...
Thanks to specialized instrumentation, proprietary protocols and years of experience, most anterior approach hip replacements performed by Dr. Palmer are outpatient procedures.  In fact, most patients recover and go home the same day surgery is performed, and are walking unassisted just a few days later.  In some cases, due to extenuating health issues or other precautionary protocols discussed prior to surgery, a patient may need to be hospitalized overnight or for multiple days.  Physical therapy begins immediately after surgery and continues for 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the patient's progress toward functional goals.
Every surgical procedure has risks and total hip replacement surgery is no different. While the risks associated with total hip replacement  are low, they include:
  • Infection
  • Injury to nerves and blood vessels
  • Formation of blood clots
  • Malpositioning of implant
  • Fracture of the femur or pelvis
   
We strive to provide the best possible experience and the best possible outcomes for our patients.  This is why every patient is assigned a Nurse Navigator - a member of our team who acts as your "hip replacement concierge," there to guide and assist you through the process of regaining your mobility and independence.  Your Nurse Navigator will explain and assist you with the details of your postoperative care plan. While postoperative recovery plans are tailored to the individual patient, below is some general information about the normal recovery symptoms (as well as some abnormal symptoms that require prompt attention.

Common Symptoms (no action necessary)

  • Low grade fever (less than 100.5 F)
  • Small amount of blood or fluid leaking from the surgical site
  • Bruising, swelling and discoloration in the involved limb or adjacent areas of the body
  • Mild numbness surrounding the wound site, lasting from 6-9 months

Abnormal Symptoms (call your Nurse Navigator immediately)

  • Fever of more than 100.5 F
  • A level of pain that progressively gets worse
  • A red, swollen, oozing incision site
  • Persistent headache, nausea or vomiting
  • Excessive bleeding
  • Excessive dizziness

Emergency Symptoms (call the on-call physician if mild, otherwise call 911)

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fainting or loss of consciousness
  • Persistent fever >100.5 F
  • Excessive weakness, numbness, or inability to move the area operated on

Related Information

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Call:
866-Feel New
866- 333-5639

or fill out our form below

Fill out my online form.

Total Hip Replacement

Hip pain and stiffness limits mobility and diminishes your quality of life.  No matter the cause – arthritis, injury, lifestyle-related trauma – if non-surgical approaches like physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medications do not effectively resolve your pain, hip replacement at an outpatient hip center may be your best option to help you feel new again.

When considering any surgery it’s wise to educate yourself on the various approaches and possible outcomes.  Details about the procedure, pain levels and medications, recovery timeline and precautions, risks and aesthetics are likely to be factors in your decision making process.  Early on in your discovery process it may be beneficial to determine whether or not you are a candidate for an anterior approach hip replacement.

Anterior Hip Replacement Surgery has changed the way orthopedic surgeons operate.

Dr. Shawn W. Palmer performs this minimally invasive technique daily and enables patients to recover faster and with less pain.  Most patients go home the same day surgery is performed and walk unassisted a few days later.

What is Total Hip Replacement?

Also known as total hip arthroplasty, it’s a joint replacement procedure where an orthopedic surgeon removes damaged bone and cartilage from the hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint, typically made of ceramic, metal and plastic.

What are the approaches to Total Hip Replacement?

Generally speaking a surgeon will access your hip in one of two ways during surgery: using the posterior approach (from the rear) or using the anterior approach (from the front).  Both are common procedures with positive benefits long term. However, the trauma endured by the body varies greatly between the posterior and anterior approaches, impacting nearly every element of your post-operative recovery as a result.

During posterior hip replacement surgery a curved incision is made on the side of the hip, then muscles and other soft tissue (found at the back of the hip) are cut in order for the surgeon to access the affected hip joint.  The muscles cut during the procedure provide hip stability, and under normal circumstances they prevent your thigh bone (femur) and hip joint (femoral head) from dislocating out of the back of your hip socket (acetabulum).  While these muscles are repaired at the end of surgery, the trauma endured by the body during a posterior approach hip replacement creates significant downsides:

  • Longer post-operative recovery, lengthier hospital stay, longer overall recovery time
  • Increased pain levels that may require stronger medication for remediation
  • Increased risk of hip dislocation and complications
  • Very specific precautions that must be followed
  • A more noticeable incision

What are the benefits of the Anterior Approach?

Conversely, during anterior hip replacement surgery an incision is made at the front of the hip, starting near the top of the pelvic bone, extending down toward the top of the thigh.  By approaching the hip from the front, and utilizing specialized instrumentation, Dr. Palmer is able to work between the muscles, instead of cutting them, and your body endures significantly less trauma.  The advantages and post-operative benefits of an anterior hip replacement make it the preferred method of total hip replacement.

Advantages

  • Can be performed as an outpatient procedure
  • Surgical times average 30 minutes
  • No restrictions following surgery
  • Quick recovery
  • Return to driving in 7-10 days
  • Return to work in 2 weeks
  • Minimally invasive, no muscles cut
  • Minimal blood loss
  • No bladder catheterization
  • No pain pumps
  • More accurate than robotic surgery

Post Surgery Benefits

  • Dramatic pain relief
  • Pain decreases, function improves
  • Better range of motion
  • Minimizes the time from surgery to recovery

Is an Anterior Hip Replacement right for me?

  • Does hip pain limit your everyday activities and affect your quality of life?
  • Does the hip pain continue even while you are resting, day or night?
  • Does hip stiffness limit your ability to move or lift your leg?
  • Do anti-inflammatory drugs or other treatments provide you little or no pain relief?
  • Do you experience harmful or unpleasant side effects from hip medications?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then Anterior Approach Hip Replacement Surgery is worth exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

An anterior approach hip replacement by Dr. Palmer will take somewhere between 30 and 45 minutes.   Your total time from arrival in surgery to the recovery room is approximately 60 minutes.
The simple answer is approximately 20 years, but the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons suggests that a more accurate way to think about longevity is via the annual failure rates. The most current data suggests that hip replacements have an annual failure rate between 0.5-1.0%. Using this as our guide, if you have your hip replaced today you have a 90-95% chance that your joint will last 10 years, an 80-85% that it will last 20 years, and so on...
Thanks to specialized instrumentation, proprietary protocols and years of experience, most anterior approach hip replacements performed by Dr. Palmer are outpatient procedures.  In fact, most patients recover and go home the same day surgery is performed, and are walking unassisted just a few days later.  In some cases, due to extenuating health issues or other precautionary protocols discussed prior to surgery, a patient may need to be hospitalized overnight or for multiple days.  Physical therapy begins immediately after surgery and continues for 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the patient's progress toward functional goals.
Every surgical procedure has risks and total hip replacement surgery is no different. While the risks associated with total hip replacement  are low, they include:
  • Infection
  • Injury to nerves and blood vessels
  • Formation of blood clots
  • Malpositioning of implant
  • Fracture of the femur or pelvis
   
We strive to provide the best possible experience and the best possible outcomes for our patients.  This is why every patient is assigned a Nurse Navigator - a member of our team who acts as your "hip replacement concierge," there to guide and assist you through the process of regaining your mobility and independence.  Your Nurse Navigator will explain and assist you with the details of your postoperative care plan. While postoperative recovery plans are tailored to the individual patient, below is some general information about the normal recovery symptoms (as well as some abnormal symptoms that require prompt attention.

Common Symptoms (no action necessary)

  • Low grade fever (less than 100.5 F)
  • Small amount of blood or fluid leaking from the surgical site
  • Bruising, swelling and discoloration in the involved limb or adjacent areas of the body
  • Mild numbness surrounding the wound site, lasting from 6-9 months

Abnormal Symptoms (call your Nurse Navigator immediately)

  • Fever of more than 100.5 F
  • A level of pain that progressively gets worse
  • A red, swollen, oozing incision site
  • Persistent headache, nausea or vomiting
  • Excessive bleeding
  • Excessive dizziness

Emergency Symptoms (call the on-call physician if mild, otherwise call 911)

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fainting or loss of consciousness
  • Persistent fever >100.5 F
  • Excessive weakness, numbness, or inability to move the area operated on

Related Information

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Call:
866-Feel New
866- 333-5639

or fill out our form below