There are over 100 conditions and diseases that are known collectively as arthritis. Many forms of arthritis begin gradually with mild pain, stiffness, and swelling at the joints, which worsen over time.
Fortunately, many forms of arthritis can be managed, and its progression slowed if properly treated early on.
However, if your arthritis is so severe, you may end up with damaged and deteriorated joints that no longer function as they should. When a joint deteriorates, it means the bones or cartilage are damaged to the extent that the body cannot heal the damage on its own. In situations like these, doctors have to find treatments that can fix the damage already done in order to reduce a patient’s pain. And most often that will require surgery.
Arthritis can cause joint pain and deterioration in any joint of the body and one place it’s very common is at the hip joint. One of the most common ways to successfully treat hip joint problems is through hip replacement surgery.
Hip Replacement
The hip joint connects the pelvis to the femur (leg bone). The hip joint is a ball-and-socket type of joint. The acetabulum (the pelvis’s socket) is like a glove and the femoral head (the femur’s round end) is like a ball. The femoral head sits in the acetabulum and there is cartilage between the two that allows the femoral head to move smoothly, without problems
When the hip joint hurts, it’s a sign that the acetabulum, femoral head, or the cartilage between them is damaged or deteriorated. In situations like these, a hip replacement surgery is performed to fix the damage that cannot be fixed on its own. Hip replacement surgery involves removing the damaged parts and replacing them with artificial parts. The artificial pieces take on the function of the hip joint they replaced so that the hip can function as it’s supposed to.
Hip replacement surgery corrects damage, relieves hip pain, and improves hip function caused by injury or damage due to medical conditions like severe arthritis.
Anterior Approach to Hip Replacement
Anterior hip replacement is an approach to hip replacement surgery that involves performing the procedure from the front of the hip instead of the back or side.
The anterior approach is an efficient, less invasive way of performing a hip replacement surgery because it requires minimal cutting of muscle tissue in order to perform the procedure. In the traditional posterior approach in which an incision is made in the back, surgeons must cut muscle tissue to perform the surgery. With the anterior approach, your orthopedic surgeon can work around the fewer muscles located at the front of the hip in order to gain access to the joint. In addition, a smaller incision is used with the anterior approach.
Patients benefit from anterior hip replacement procedures with faster recovery times, less scarring due to the smaller incision size, fewer risks and post-surgical complications.
Anterior hip replacement is a great way to perform a hip replacement surgery but not all orthopedic surgeons can perform it. It requires specialized skills and training.
If you are interested in learning more about whether anterior hip replacement is a good choice for you, talk to an orthopedic surgeon who has experience performing anterior and posterior hip replacement procedures. He or she will be able to examine you and recommend the right type of hip replacement procedure based on your medical history, health, and individual needs.
The orthopedic experts at Movement Orthopedics treat a plethora of orthopedic issues with treatments that include hip replacement procedures. They have the expertise and experience necessary to perform these joint replacements with different approaches like anterior and posterior. To get a reliable recommendation for your orthopedic issues, call (586) 436-3785 to make an appointment. You can also request an appointment online.
