Understanding the Risks and Complications of Anterior Hip Replacement
Anterior hip replacement is a way to address severe hip arthritis and other hip joint disorders. This procedure allows surgeons to access the hip joint from the front so that they don’t need to cut through major muscles. The benefits of this procedure are less pain after the surgery and faster recovery. The patients will also experience improved mobility.
Even though there are many benefits,
You have to understand the risks and potential complications that come with this procedure. When it comes to Matt Barnes anterior hip replacement , you will be informed of the risks so that you have a comprehensive understanding of what occurs. There are surgical risks that can occur. There can be infections that can occur at the surgical site or deep within the hip joint. The risk of infection with this procedure is quite low but if it occurs it is a serious complication that will need further treatment. This treatment will include additional surgeries or antibiotics. Some of the precautions taken by surgeons to minimise the risk are sterilising equipment and administering prophylactic antibiotics. If there is reduced mobility after surgery, there can be post-operative blood clots that can form in the veins of the legs. This is also called deep vein thrombosis. These clots can travel to your lungs which will lead to a pulmonary embolism which can be potentially life threatening. To prevent blood clots, patients will be given compression devices, blood thinners etc. and encouraged to engage in early mobilisation.
The surgeons will work near nerves in anterior approach to hip replacement.
This can lead to an increased risk of nerve injury. Nerve damage can be rare but this will lead to tingling, numbness or weakness in the leg. Nerve function will return over time in many cases but some patients have been known to have long term effects. There is also a risk of fracturing the thigh bone or hip socket. Some of the factors that can influence the risk are bone quality and surgical technique. Imaging is used by the surgeons to avoid fractures. While the anterior approach is taken to reduce the risk of hip location and this is known to be more effective compared to other techniques. But dislocation is still a potential complication. This happens when the new hip joint comes out of its sockets and medical intervention will be needed to reposition it. Patients are advised to avoid certain movements so that dislocation can be avoided.
The hip implant can become loose over time which can cause instability and pain.
This can occur due to bone loss, wear and tear and improper positioning of the implant. When this happens, revision surgery will be needed so that the prosthesis can be replaced or repaired. It can be quite challenging to achieve equal leg lengths. Some patients will feel that one leg is shorter or longer than the other which can be quite uncomfortable and lead to gait issues. To minimise this risk, surgeons will take measurements and use special techniques.