Total hip replacement is viewed as one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine and has proven to be successful for more than 95% of well-selected patients. It’s done to help people unlearn all manner of pain caused by an arthritic hip joint. Total hip replacement enables these people to live more active lives without debilitating hip pain. On average, the prosthesis lasts between 15 and 20 years after surgery. Although an implanted prosthesis is expected to last several decades, some patients can enjoy full use of their functionality for over 25 years or longer. 

Over time, however, some hip replacement recipients will require another surgery. This can be due to any number of things including wear and tear, loosening or dislocation. When a hip replacement fails for any of these reasons, your doctor may recommend that you have a second operation to remove some or all of the parts of the original prosthesis and replace them with new ones. This procedure is called revision total hip replacement.

How is Revision THR Different From Total Hip Replacement?

While the goal of both procedures are to help relieve pain and improve function and quality of life, revision surgery differs from primary total hip replacement. For starters, revision hip replacement is a longer, more complex procedure. It requires extensive planning, as well as the use of specialized implants and tools, in order to achieve a good result.

Occasionally, revision surgery is needed if it does not function as well as it was intended. After revision surgery is performed there have been fewer instances of inflammation around the implant, less stress placed on the femoral head, and relieved pain brought on by osteoarthritis in most cases.\

Revision total hip replacement is most often used to relieve:

• Sepsis
• Loosening
• Leg Length Inequality
• Periprosthetic Fracture
• Recurrent Dislocation
• Osteolysis

There are multiple types of revision surgery. In some cases, only a few components of the prosthesis need to be revised. In other cases, the entire prosthesis needs to be removed or replaced and the bone around the hip needs to be rebuilt with augments (metal pieces that substitute for missing bone) or bone grafts (from  smaller bone inside a patient’s own body).

If you’ve previously had a total hip replacement and are experiencing issues with mobility or pain, please contact us today to schedule an appointment! Revision THR Services may be a solution for you.