The hip joint can be compared to a ball joint. It serves to connect the hips to the bones of the pelvis. All surfaces of this joint are covered with a layer of cartilage to reduce friction during movement. Exposure to various factors can cause damage to this layer. There are cases when the pathology can be eliminated by drug therapy.
However, with extensive damage, effective treatment does not exist. The only thing that can save a person is an artificial hip joint. Replacement is made upon diagnosis of osteoarthritis. This disease occurs due to age-related changes. Pathology is also the result of various injuries or ailments.
Hip joint. Replacement. Indications
The main thing that necessitates endoprosthetics is the ineffectiveness of the therapy, as well as the increasing limited movement that is accompanied by pain. Developing osteoarthritis leads to disability. In this case, the disease contributes to a sedentary lifestyle. An operation to implant an artificial joint is able to avoid these consequences.
Types of prostheses
In the event that a person suffers from the fact that his hip joint is affected, the replacement of damaged parts is the most appropriate treatment method. The most common was total arthroplasty. It is made with the replacement of the femoral head, as well as the place of its conjugation with the bone. The life of such a prosthesis is fifteen years. This operation is most often recommended for elderly patients. The advantage of this method is the additional support that the prosthesis provides to weak and brittle bones.
Just a few years ago, a prosthesis with a shortened leg was developed. This innovation avoids the removal of large amounts of bone during surgery. The prosthesis is inserted only in the upper part of the hip bone. It should be borne in mind that for patients suffering from osteoporosis, this operation is not performed.
If a person has a hip joint, replacing the cartilage layer also gives excellent results in restoring motor function. With this technique, a cap prosthesis is inserted into the patient. It is installed on a damaged surface, which is pre-treated. During movement, the implant head with its convex part slides along a cavity made artificially in the bones of the body. A prosthesis is made of synthetic material.
Hip replacement. Postoperative period
The duration of rehabilitation, as a rule, is twelve months. With a successful operation, as well as in a sparing motor mode, the patient is able to fully restore static-locomotor functions.
Hip replacement clinics where endoprosthetics are performed carry out an initial rehabilitation course for their patients. It is carried out on an outpatient basis. Nursing staff teaches the patient to sit, get out of bed, stand, and also walk without outside help.
The most important component of recovery is exercise. They should be performed calmly, slowly and effortlessly. Unacceptable are sudden movements.
In the
postoperative period, patients should follow certain precautions. It is important to prevent falls and to avoid sudden movements that contribute to the dislocation of the prosthesis head. It is forbidden to take analgesics during exercise.