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Your Guide to Finding the Right Hip Replacement Treatment
Hip replacement surgery has been extensively performed for decades in the UK, and with encouraging success rates. Most patients report vastly improved mobility following the procedure, which restores their ability to enjoy of life once more.
The following guide gives you advice on how to find the most suitable hip replacement surgeon (if you're opting for Private treatment), and explores the different types of prosthesis available for this joint replacement procedure.
Choosing the Right Hip Replacement Surgeon
If you decide to go the Private route for your hip replacement operation, the next step is to find a good surgeon. Here are some top tips to help make your selection easier:
. If you are elderly, with a wide social group, chances are you'll know people who have had the procedure. Their advice and recommendations will be extremely valuable, so be sure to gather as much first-hand information from them as possible.
. If you don't happen to know anyone who has had hip replacement surgery, there is a range of other resources to help you. These include your local hospital, your GP, your local Primary Care Trust and your medical insurance company (if you have one). In addition, you can gather lots of excellent advice from local libraries and the Internet. The best way forward is to do thorough research and then compile a shortlist.
. The next step is to check the credentials of the surgeons that match your needs. Make sure they are listed with the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Surgeons. They need to be orthopaedic surgeons, and ideally you'll want to opt for a specialist in hip replacement operations.
. Once you've narrowed down your list, filter it again according to your preferences, such as whether they perform the operation in a location that is convenient to you. This factor is important, since you could be in hospital for up to 2 weeks and if you're too far away it will make visits by friends and family difficult.
. Lastly, make appointments for a consultation with at least two suitable surgeons, that way you can compare them and choose the one who makes you feel most comfortable about proceeding. For example, a hip replacement surgeon who rushes though the consultation will not be a great confidence booster.
Materials Used for Hip Replacements
The first hip prosthesis, developed by John Charnley in the 1960's, was made from stainless steel with a basic polythene plastic shell, which was heavier than a natural hip joint. The procedure has technologically advanced in leaps and bounds since then - today there are a wide range of materials to choose from and a modern hip prosthesis can weigh as little as 400 grams.
These are the most commonly used materials currently used to replace damaged hip joints:
Metal Alloys
These materials are used to supply the part of the hip prosthesis that acts as the ball of the joint. Common combinations are based on titanium or cobalt and chromium. You can get different shapes according to your needs and the long stem of the prosthesis can be either porous (for uncemented hip replacement) or non-porous (for cemented hip replacement).
Ceramics
A more recent development, the use of ceramics helps to ensure that the artificial hip joint does not fail in the long term. While a metal and plastic hip prosthesis tends to last around 15-20 years, the ceramic version exceeds this time frame. It must be said however that a ceramic hip prosthesis is more prone to breaking compared to metal or metal and plastic materials.
Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene
This is used as the socket part of the hip prosthesis. It boasts impressive strength and is smooth as well as long lasting.
Polyethylene and Metal
These are used for the socket of the artificial hip joint and involve a central metal component surrounded by a 'skin' of plastic. Alternatives are pure metal or pure plastic.
Polymethylmethacrylate
For cemented hip replacement procedures, an acrylic polymer called polymethylmethacrylate is used to hold the hip prosthesis in place.
Conclusion
The type of prosthesis needed for your
will of course rest on your individual condition. In addition, the materials and technique used will largely depend on your surgeon - he/she will generally opt for the type of prosthesis they have used before, and that has provided the best results.
Article Source: Articles For Knowledge Sharing
About the Author
Angela Cilano is a medical researcher and
hip replacement surgery consultant.
by: annabailey
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Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2011 -
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