Patients often ask doctors about alternatives to hip replacement surgery, or joint replacement surgery in general. They strongly desire to avoid surgery and find some other way to cure their chronic and intolerable hip pain miraculously.
Often, they want some medicines or oil that they can consume or apply to the affected part to get rid of the pain forever! Is it really possible? Are there any alternatives available?
The post explores in detail this most cherished question. To learn more, continue to read till the end.
Hip Anatomy
The hip is a socket and a ball joint. It plays a crucial part in enabling one to lead an active life. Each hip joint is composed of various parts as mentioned and briefly described below.
- The Acetabulum
- The Femoral Head
- The Labrum
- Articular Cartilage
- Ligaments
- Tendons
- Bursa
- Muscles
- Synovial Membrane
The acetabulum is the socket part of the hip joint. It contains a soft-tissue ring over its rim, which is called the labrum. The femoral head forms the ball part that fits into the socket. Additionally, the femoral head is the top of the thigh bone.
Articular cartilage is a continuous soft-tissue layer over the femoral head. A ligament connects one bone to another while a tendon creates the same attachment between a muscle and a bone. Ligaments and tendons both are soft-tissue bands.
A bursa is a little fluid-filled bag that cushions adjacent internal parts and absorbs the shocks. Muscles provide strength and support to the joint.
The synovial membrane produces lubricant, which allows smooth and frictionless hip joint movements.
Why Do We Need Hip Replacement Surgery?
Apart from the socket and the ball, everything else in the hip is soft tissue. When the hip labrum and cartilage get worn out or completely damaged, bones become stiff and immobile. It causes chronic inflammation, leading to severe arthritis.
As a result, the affected person experiences intense pain and faces severe walking issues. Their day-to-day life gets impacted negatively. The person finds it very challenging to live a normal life.
For such patients, hip replacement surgery is suggested. This intervention is the last option for treating hip pain when all the other conservative treatments have failed to provide relief.
Causes
Various medical conditions lead to hip joint damage.
Osteoarthritis: It is an age-related joint condition. Due to overuse, hip cartilage wears out with time. It is a soft-tissue cover that maintains the functional gap between joint bones and allows for friction-free mobility. Thus, without this layer, the hip ball and socket become stiff, resulting in mobility issues and chronic pain.
Osteoarthritis can also be caused by an injury if proper medical attention isn’t ensured on time. The condition is medically known as post-traumatic arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is an autoimmune condition. The body’s immune system attacks healthy joint tissues. It results in inflammation. Without proper management, chronic swelling in the joint lining leads to damage to major hip parts.
Osteonecrosis: Death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood in the femoral head is called hip osteonecrosis. The condition is also known as avascular necrosis. It causes the hip ball to completely collapse, leading to pain and disability.
Trauma: Sometimes, a direct injury to the hip joint causes instant damage to the delicate internal structures. It can lead to bad fractures or a severe dislocation. Such injuries create conditions for hip replacement surgery after accidents.
Symptoms
A person can face all or any of the following symptoms if their hip joint has been damaged.
- Intense and chronic hip pain
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Joint Immobility
- Walking Issues
Diagnosis
Hip joint conditions are diagnosed with the following imaging tests.
- X-Ray
- MRI
- CT Scan
An X-ray test helps see what is wrong with bones while soft-tissue problems are detected with either an MRI or CT scan. When an MRI isn’t a viable option, CT scanning is preferred.
MRI technology can interfere with the metal implant inside the patient’s body. Thus, alternatively, the doctor prescribes a CT scan.
Best Alternative
So far, we have sufficiently discussed all the essential background information. We explained that various conditions damage the hip joint completely.
Now, let’s see if there is any alternative to hip replacement surgery.
Not Damaged Completely: if your hip joint isn’t damaged completely. In other words, only some of the hip and soft tissues are damaged. In that case, there is indeed an alternative available. That is partial hip replacement surgery.
Or, in case hip damage can be restored with medicines, biologics is the best alternative. The doctor will suggest PRP or stem cell therapy. Under PRP, a specialist takes the platelets out of the blood and injects them into the site of injury. Blood platelets contain growth factors. They stimulate healing and help with tissue regeneration.
Similarly, stem cell therapy also aids in healing and consequently improves joint function.
Sometimes, cartilage defects (damage), caused by an injury, can be restored through arthroscopic procedures. The cartilage is stimulated through specialised instruments arthroscopically.
Damaged Completely: Complete loss of cartilage and growth of tiny spurs is the last stage of arthritis. The patient becomes almost physically disabled. They cannot walk comfortably and it impacts normal life badly.
If it is the condition of your hip, there is no alternative at all. This condition can only be treated with THR or total hip replacement surgery.
However, total hip replacement surgery might be misleading by its name. Total replacement doesn’t mean the entire hip joint will be replaced. Instead, it means only the lost cartilage and damaged bone parts will be recreated with the use of an implant.
Furthermore, with the advent of robotic or AR technology, there has come a new level of safety, precision and accuracy in joint replacement procedures. There are almost no postoperative complications at all.
Also Read: Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery Time
Conclusion
Have you been suggested a total hip replacement surgery because you are dealing with excruciating pain? In that case, your hip is totally damaged. A doctor will never suggest or recommend total hip replacement unless it is so.
This treatment option is only considered when the hip conditions are so bad and thus cannot be restored to relieve pain and improve function otherwise.
To book an appointment with the best specialist, visit the following link: hip replacement surgeon in India.
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