Arthritis can damage or wear out the cartilage covering the hip joint surface and cause inflammation and severe pain in the hip. When this pain has made it difficult to go about your daily activities, it may be time to consider hip replacement surgery.
Direct Anterior Hip Replacement is a minimally invasive procedure that should be considered when other non-surgical options have failed to provide relief. Not only can it relieve arthritis pain and get you back to your activities, it has many benefits compared to traditional hip replacement.
4 Benefits of Direct Anterior Hip Replacement:
- Smaller incision: This minimally invasive procedure requires an incision only 3-6 inches in length compared to 9-12 inches for a traditional hip replacement. Because of this small incision, there is less damage to the surrounding tissue, less blood loss, and less scarring.
- Muscle Integrity: When approaching the hip from the front, surgeons can work around the muscles rather than having to cut or detach the muscles during surgery. These hip muscles will be providing support for the new hip, so keeping the integrity of the muscles means less pain and a stronger hip during recovery.
- Less Restrictions and Greater Recovery: With anterior hip replacement, patients enjoy less restrictions after surgery. Research suggests people are able to walk without assistance almost a week earlier than those who have traditional hip replacement. Patients typically have less pain, and therefore take less pain medication. Less pain, less medication, and more movement means a quicker return to your everyday activities.
- Reduced Risk: When hip muscles have been left intact, they are able to provide stability and strength to the new hip as it heals, reducing the risk of hip dislocation during recovery. With a smaller incision and shorter stay in the hospital, there is also less risk of infection.
When hip pain or loss of mobility has made it difficult to go about your daily activities, it may be time to consider Direct Anterior Hip Replacement. The many benefits, such as a smaller incision site, muscle retention, quicker recovery, and reduced risk, make it an excellent consideration for hip replacement surgery.
Dr. Daneca DiPaolo is a highly skilled, board certified orthopedic surgeon and hand specialist located in Grenada, Mississippi. She offers the latest orthopedic techniques and provides quality, compassionate, state of the art orthopedic care. For all appointments and inquiries, please call (662) 227-7794 or visit our website www.drdipaolo.com/.
