Hip Replacement in Cancun

In a total hip replacement (also called total hip arthroplasty), the damaged bone and cartilage is removed and replaced with prosthetic components.

If your hip has been damaged by arthritis, a fracture, or other conditions, common activities such as walking or getting in and out of a chair that may be is painful and difficult. Your hip may be stiff, and it may be hard to put on your shoes and socks. You may even feel uncomfortable while resting.

If medications are not of much help on your everyday activities and/or the use of walking support does not adequately help your symptoms, a good option is to consider performing a hip replacement surgery in Cancun, Mexico at Clinica Nazareth with the Best Orthopedic Surgeons.

Benefits of Hip Surgery

Hip replacement surgery is a safe and effective procedure that can relieve your pain, increase motion, and help you get back to enjoying normal everyday activities.

• The main benefit is relief of symptoms, patients don't feel pain after operation.
• Hip replacement surgery reduces the risk of chronic health conditions.
• Correct joint deformity.
• It increases the strength of the legs.
• Improvement in movement and use of joint for many years.
• Recovery of mobility.
• Improvement of the quality of life.

How long does it last?
A common reply to this question is that total joint replacement lasts approximately 15-20 years. A more accurate way to think about longevity is via the annual failure rates. Most current data suggests that both hip and knee replacements have an annual failure rate between 0.5-1.0%. This means that if you have your total joint replaced today, you have a 90-95% chance that your joint will last 10 years, and a 80-85% that it will last 20 years. With improvements in technology, these numbers may improve.

Are all hip replacement implants the same?
Most implants today have become more similar than different as surgeons and manufacturers have determined which designs work best. One variable that still remains is the bearing surface. The bearing surface is the ball and liner that attach to the stem and cup that fix to the bone.

The ball can be composed of either metal (cobalt chromium alloy) or ceramic, and the liner can be made of plastic (polyethylene), metal, or ceramic. The ball and liner can then be used in different combinations and are named for the respective ball liner combination (metal on poly, ceramic on poly, ceramic on ceramic, etc.). In 2015, the vast majority of bearings utilized a polyethylene liner with either a metal or ceramic head, with other combinations being used with less frequency. You can discuss these differences with your surgeon to determine which implant is best for you.

Is surgery and recovery very painful?
Pain following total hip replacement has come a long way over the last 10-15 years with increased use of regional nerve blocks, spinal blocks, and various other modalities used for pain control. Total hip replacement is generally considered to be less painful than total knee replacement. Early range of motion and rapid rehabilitation protocols are also designed to reduce early stiffness and pain, making the procedure in general much less painful than in years past. You may have relatively mild pain following the procedure, or you may have a more difficult time than others. Everyone is unique and handles and perceives pain differently. Keep in mind that while pain management has greatly improved, a pain-free surgery is unlikely. You will want to take your pain medicines as directed by your surgeon.

What is minimally invasive surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery is a term that describes a combination of reducing the incision length and lessening tissue disruption beneath the incision. This includes cutting less muscle and detaching less tendon from bone. There have also been advancements in anesthesia and pain management during and after surgery. All of these practices allow you to feel better, have less pain, and regain function faster than in the recent past. While there may be some early advantages to minimally invasive surgery, as long as the components are placed correctly, traditional surgery ultimately leads to similar outcomes by three months post-operatively.

My surgeon talks about “approach.” What is this?
The way a surgeon gains access to the hip during hip replacement surgery is referred to as an “approach.” There are various types of approaches named according to the direction that the surgery is performed. The most common approach today is referred to as the “posterior approach,” which is done from the back of the hip. Some more recent improvements to this approach (small incision and less tissue trauma) have been called “mini posterior approach.” Another currently popular approach is known as the “anterior approach,” which is performed from the front of the hip. The lateral approach is less frequently used but a viable approach for the surgery.

There are pros and cons of each approach and little science to endorse one over the other. Surgeons tend to have a preference and comfort level with one particular approach over the others. The bottom line is that the best approach is the one your doctor is most comfortable with to allow safe and precise implantation of your hip replacement components.

Will my surgeon use a computer, robot, or custom cutting guide in my surgery?
There are many studies attempting to evaluate these emerging technologies and their influence of the success of surgeries. Each of these technologies has a specific goal that has fueled its development (i.e. more accuracy in implant placement, more efficient or faster surgery, etc.).

To date, there appears to be both pros and cons to each of these technologies without any clear advantages, but more research is required to determine what advantage, if any, these may offer. Despite a substantial amount of direct-to-consumer marketing, the best approach is to discuss this topic with your surgeon. You may want to know if they use one of these technologies, why they have chosen to do so, and what their experience has been in using it.

How big will my scar be?
The size of the incision can vary and depends on several factors that include the size of the patient, the complexity of the surgery, and surgeon preference. Most studies have shown that smaller incisions offer no improvement in pain or recovery and may actually worsen the surgeon’s ability to adequately perform the procedure.

If you need more information don’t hesitate to call us for getting your hip replacement in Cancun.