Hip replacement surgery, or total hip reconstruction, is one of the most common joint replacement procedures done in the United States. In fact, by 2030 approximately 850,000 patients are expected to undergo the procedure each year.
“As Baby Boomers age and average life expectancy increases, hip replacement is becoming more and more of a popular option,” says Jonathan Vigdorchik, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery who specializes in adult hip replacement and hip revision surgery (which is a repeat operation).
Why do people need hip replacement surgery? Osteoarthritis is the most common culprit. As you get older, your joints begin to wear down and, as a result, you’re more likely to develop osteoarthritis in your hip joints, which can be painful.
And the procedure can be a game-changer: Research shows that patients who undergo total hip replacement experience meaningful and lasting improvements in their quality of life.
While it’s a major surgery—and one not without potential complications or need for revisions—advances in technology have made it more effective and safer than ever. “The rapid advancements in digital technology are enabling more personalized care experiences and addressing important unmet needs,” says Sharrolyn Josse, Worldwide President, Joint Reconstruction, DePuy Synthes, a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company.
Here’s the latest information about the procedure, plus how Johnson & Johnson is making advances in hip replacement diagnostics, technique and technology.
1.
Most hip replacement procedures lead to positive outcomes.
The hip itself isn’t that complex. “It’s a basic ball-and-socket joint, unlike the knee, which is more intricate,” says Dr. Vigdorchik. In total hip replacement, the worn-out and damaged sections of the hip are—as the name implies—totally replaced. The socket is swapped with a durable plastic cup, while the femoral head (the ball of the hip joint) is replaced with ceramic or metal. Surgery takes less than an hour and is commonly performed as an outpatient procedure. But it wasn’t always that way.
In the 1960s, “hip replacement surgery took five to six hours and involved a three-week hospital stay,” he says. But thanks to the evolution of hip implants themselves and innovative technology, that’s no longer the case. “Today’s hip implants are made of a stronger polyethylene and tend to last longer and are easier to insert during surgery,” he explains.
While most hip replacement procedures lead to positive outcomes, complications, though rare, can happen that may necessitate a revision in some patients.
2.
More and more younger people are having total hip replacement surgery.
This procedure used to be reserved for people over the age of 65, but the rate of total hip replacement has more than doubled among 45- to 54-year-olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why? At least some of this can be attributed to early-stage arthritis from years of playing sports, says Dr. Vigdorchik.
Hip dysplasia—a condition common in women in which the hip socket is too shallow—is also to blame. “Women in their 40s or early 50s come in like clockwork with it,” he notes. “But while in the past they may have been told they were too young for hip replacement, now it’s a reasonable alternative.”
And thanks to better-quality materials, the odds are good that a new hip will last a long time: at least 25 years in roughly 77% of patients undergoing hip replacement, according to a review of studies published in The Lancet.
3.
Research suggests that about half of all revision total hip replacement surgeries are avoidable.
“Many revisions are due to dislocation from suboptimal cup positioning,” explains Dr. Vigdorchik. “We know that about 20% of patients who undergo total hip replacement have an abnormal pelvic tilt, or abnormal motion between their spine and pelvis, which can make it harder to position the cup correctly.” Unfortunately, many hip surgeons aren’t aware of pelvic tilt, or how to spot it.
But now there’s a way to identify the positioning. The CUPTIMIZE™ Hip-Spine Analysis* from DePuy Synthes is a digital screening tool surgeons can use presurgery to analyze X-rays of patients when they sit and stand, to try to identify changes in pelvic tilt. This also helps the surgeon to place the cup for the best results. As Dr. Vigdorchik puts it: “You need to know where your target is to hit the bullseye.”
Cuptimize Hip-Spine Analysis enhances the surgical planning of Velys Hip Navigation, a digital technology for non-invasive hip navigation designed to help surgeons with accuracy and precision. “It allows us to look at every patient uniquely so that we can deliver the most personalized care possible,” notes Josse. “And if we can achieve better placement of hip implants, it reduces the need for repeat surgery.”
Velys Hip Navigation also has another advantage, adds Josse. More than a quarter of all patients report one leg being longer than the other after a total hip replacement, a factor that can cause low back pain and trouble walking. Velys Hip Navigation with Cuptimize Hip Spine Analysis takes patients’ unique spinopelvic characteristics into account so that there is the potential to correct discrepancies between leg lengths. When the discrepancy is corrected, it can lead to better hip stability and preservation of natural movement, says Dr. Vigdorchik.
4.
Recovery is relatively quick.
Unlike a knee replacement, which usually requires four to six months of recovery, most people are back to regular activity after a hip replacement within roughly a month, says Dr. Vigdorchik. It’s common to begin walking with a cane, walker or crutches a day or two after surgery.
It’s recommended that people initially walk for 5 to 10 minutes three to four times a day and build up to 20 to 30 minutes two to three times a day as their strength and endurance improve. They may also require physical therapy for a few weeks to strengthen the hip muscles and get used to the new joint.
Most people can resume driving and go back to work within a couple of weeks; they should also be back to regular activities like going to the gym within four to six weeks, says Dr. Vigdorchik.
For anyone who might be struggling with hip pain that is interfering with daily living, he encourages those individuals to talk with their doctor to explore treatment options.
