Learn More About Total Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgery is generally safe but, like any major procedure, it carries risks. These include:

• Blood clots: in the leg veins, which can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). This risk can be reduced by early movement, blood thinners, and compression devices.

• Infection: which is minimized by sterile surgical techniques and antibiotics. If you are concerned about an infection, please call the rooms and do not start antibiotics until speaking with Mr. Kirzner

• Dislocation: The new hip joint may dislocate, especially in the first few months after surgery. The anterior approach has a lower dislocation rate, and with use of technology the risk is decreased.

• Leg length discrepancy: Many in the community have a small leg length discrepancy and aren’t even aware of it. After a hip replacement you will often feel longer than before surgery as your body has become accustomed to a short leg from arthritis. This feeling often settles with time. True leg length discrepancy is minimised with careful intraoperative planning. Lengthening or shortening the leg slightly may be apart of the surgical plan to improve your outcome.

• Implant problems: loosening, wear, or rarely, mechanical failure may occur over time, sometimes requiring revision surgery. Most implants last over 20 years nowadays.

• Nerve or blood vessel injury: though this is uncommon, nerve or blood vessels around the hip can be injured during surgery. Thigh numbness to the lateral thigh is relatively common with a direct anterior approach incision, this is due to damage/injury to the superficial nerve supplying the skin (lateral femoral cutaneous nerve).

• Dissatisfaction or ongoing pain: Rarely patients report ongoing pain and lack of satisfaction, often due to other sources of referred pain (lumbar spine, sacroilliac joint or other), tendinopathic conditions and/or muscle weakness. Every effort is made to avoid this with correct diagnosis, prehabilitation, and extensive discussions.

We will go through your personal risk profile and ensure that every step is taken to minimise complications and maximise success. The fitter and stronger you are prior to your surgery, the safer and quicker your recovery will be and the more you will get out of your knee.

• Most people stay in hospital 1–4 days, mobilising the same day as surgery.

• Early rehabilitation focuses on regaining walking ability and strength.

• Significant pain relief is usually experienced by 6 weeks, with steady improvement up to a year.

• Return to normal daily activity is common within 2–6 weeks, though full strength and flexibility take longer.

• Over 90% of modern hip replacements last at least 20 years.

This depends on individual needs, age, and recovery rate. Many people begin rehab in hospital and then continue as an outpatient or with home exercises; some may need a short inpatient rehabilitation stay if extra support is required.

Yes, it's possible that the metal components in a knee replacement will set off airport metal detectors. Be proactive and advise the security guards that you have had a hip replacement. Having a letter or medical certificate will not prevent these security measures.

To drive you will need to be off all strong pain relief and crutches and have the ability to perform an emergency stop safely. For most patients this is 3 weeks for a left hip (automatic car) and 4-6 weeks for a right hip.

Short flights are often safe within a few weeks after surgery, but longer flights may increase the risk of blood clots. In general, precautions like compression stockings and in-seat exercises are recommended for several weeks.

Participating in pool-based rehabilitation or swimming is not recommended for 4 weeks after your operation as it may increase the risk of infection.

For the first 3 months following a hip replacement you should be given antibiotics by your dentist if you require urgent dental work. This is to prevent bacteria from your mouth entering your bloodstream and travelling to the knee joint.

After 3 months routine antibiotics are not required for dental work unless your immune system is compromised. If you are in doubt, please get your dentist to contact us prior to your dental procedure.

Most patients return to low-impact activities like walking, cycling, golf, swimming, and hiking. Running and other high-impact sports are not recommended due to wear risk.

We use a multimodal pain control approach, including local anaesthetic, nerve blocks, and tailored medication. Pain is usually well managed, and many patients describe it as far less painful than they expected. Most patients are discharged on medications no stronger than paracetamol and ibuprofen.

Due to the risk of dislocation with a posterior approach for the first 6 weeks it is advised to avoid any activities where the hip flexes past 90 degrees and internally rotates. After this point the soft tissues will have healed enough to provide stability and these restrictions can be released. One of the benefits of the anterior approach is that in the vast majority of patients, key muscles and tendons that stabilise the hip joint are not cut during the surgery. This results in a more stable hip joint with a lower rate of dislocation than the posterior approach. Consequently, there are no movement restrictions after anterior approach hip replacement. Any position that does not cause discomfort is allowed.

In uncemented components, your bone grows onto and into these components over a 3 month period after surgery. To ensure the components solidly integrate into your bone, it is important to return to activity slowly. A general guide is to walk no more than 2,000 steps per day for each week you are post surgery. Ie. Up to 2,000 steps per day in your second post-operative week.