Complications for Patients With a Hip Arthroplasty

Hip arthroplasty, more commonly referred to as hip replacement surgery, is performed to replace a damaged or diseased hip joint with an artificial implant that mimics a normal one. Hip replacement surgery is often a very successful operation, but there are certain complications that can occur as a result.

Hip Dislocation

• Artificial hip replacement recipients are at an increased risk of suffering a dislocated hip. This risk is due to the fact that artificial hip replacements are less stable than normal hip joints. Traditional hip replacement implants use small-diameter femoral heads as a way to reduce joint wear. Although effective at extending implant lifespan, these smaller heads increase the risk of hip dislocation.

Leg Length Differences

• It is common for hip replacement surgery to result in an altered leg length on the affected side. Although doctors work diligently to correct discrepancies, achieving equal leg lengths is sometimes not possible. This can be due to individual hip joint anatomy, as well as the necessity to seat the hip implant prosthesis with sufficient tension to reduce dislocation risk. Many times a hip surgeon must alter leg length in order to produce a stable, firmly seated hip joint.

Pain

• For the vast majority of individuals, hip replacement surgery eliminates pain and produces a solid, stable joint with a good range of motion. However, in a small minority of patients, lingering hip pain, and in some cases thigh pain, develops after surgery. This type of pain is believed to be caused, at least in part, by the abnormal stress that an artificial hip joint places on the leg. During movement, an artificial hip implant closely mimics but does not match the actions of a normal hip joint, and this can cause pain in some individuals.

Implant Wear

• Hip replacements do not last forever. The materials used to reconstruct a diseased hip joint gradually wear and erode over time. Implant wear is the main complication of hip replacement surgery and frequently leads to hip replacement revision surgery, which removes a worn out hip implant and replaces it with a new one. Although hip replacement implants are designed to offer many years of good, functional service (generally 15 to 20 years), performing high-impact activities on a regular basis can accelerate hip prosthesis wear and shorten implant lifespan.

Implant Failure

• Implant failure is a major complication that can occur in surgically replaced hip joints. This occurs when an artificial hip prosthesis breaks, warps or loses bone fixation and becomes loose. Implant failure typically causes severe hip and/or leg pain and limitations in hip and leg movement. Hip implant failure can be caused by a variety of factors, including defective parts, poor surgical placement or excessive wear and tear.