Why Do Hip Implants Need to Be Replaced Over Time?

Hip replacement is one of the joint replacement procedures that are mostly performed in orthopedics.   But what we should know is that this is a process with many steps.  It is normal for the patient to assume that the hip implant device will have to be replaced eventually after a few decades.   This happens because being artificial, these prosthetic devices could not act like its genuine counterparts for a life time.  Inevitable wearing themselves out as time goes by, these devices of man-made material could not blend in with the internal organs for too long.

A lot of things can happen when a hip replacement device has already outgrown its most optimal state of performance.   To name a few, there can be loosening in the artificial hip joint or a growing infection in the site of the implant.  In addition to that is the breaking or wearing out of the implant and worse, the damaging of the bone surrounding the implant.  No one in the path to recovery surely wants to experience something like this at all.  However, these are inevitable and can cause obstructions to the normal function of one’s hip joint, hence a replacement is necessary.  Hopefully though, that should be after twenty to twenty five years.

While the purpose of a hip replacement revision surgery is nothing but intended for the best results, we cannot help but contemplate that it is a riskier, more expensive procedure compared to the first.   Along with this, recovery rate and the complication of performing the surgery is more stressful to imagine.  Why?   First, the procedure could cause excruciating pain to the patient and present a challenge to the surgeon if the tissue on the site is infected.   Second, this may occur at the time when the patient is a lot older, with less tolerance for pain and more susceptibility to stress and anxiety.   The patient by then might have also developed other diseases with age which can double the experience of pain and prevent the patient from taking pain relievers which pose as contraindications to the other illness.

Now, we know how important it is to choose the best brand of hip replacement devices after learning the downside of getting an uncalled for revision surgery.   Recommended devices should be excluded from the list of FDA-recalled devices such as the hip implants from Stryker.

URL Reference: orthopedics.about.com/cs/hipreplacement/a/implantissues.htm