What Nerve Is Most at Risk During Hip Surgery?

The two major nerves that run through the hip area are the sciatic nerves and femoral nerves. According to the University of Missouri School of Medicine, both of these nerves are at risk during hip surgery.

Sciatic Nerve

• The sciatic nerves start in the lower back, run through the buttocks and down the back of the legs. If you have sciatic nerve damage, you may be unable to straighten your foot at the ankle or to feel the top of your foot.

Femoral Nerve

• The femoral nerves are close to the front of your hip, in the groin area. If you have femoral nerve damage, you may be unable to straighten your leg at the knee or to feel the front and inside of your thigh or knee.

Causes

• According to the Missouri School of Medicine, in most cases the cause of the nerve damage during hip surgery is unclear, but things that can lead to damage include joint movement during the surgery, pressure on the nerve from swelling after surgery, bleeding into the hip joint after surgery or stretching the leg to gain leg length.

Treatment

• The Missouri School of Medicine reports that most nerve injuries go away anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of years. Only in rare cases is a second operation needed to repair the damage.

Other Names

• Nerve damage may also be called neuropraxia or nerve palsy.