Total hip replacement procedure replaces the diseased hip joint that causes pain with an artificial hip joint, health care providers say, but there still a number of possible health risks like dislocation after the operation. The disarticulation of the implanted hip is one of the common problems experienced after the surgery, according to the article from the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, this problem still occurs even with the increasing knowledge on this procedure. Several factors come into play such as the gender and age of individuals that increases the probability of the ball going out of the socket, which often ensues during the first few months after the hip operation.
For patients who have had the operation, the disarticulation of the hip joint is the first problem that they may encounter but it remains to be underreported because of inadequate investigation. The flexion, abduction and internal rotation of the hip may cause this problem, especially when the hip is moved in extreme positions. Some of these cases remain undetected because patients fail to report it as there are no symptoms and limitations associated with the disarticulation, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Activities of daily living are taught to patients in order for them to use their new hip properly and avoid dislocating it.
Researchers continue to study the causes of hip displacement among patients who have undergone such procedure. There is a better chance of preventing disarticulation in a 36-mm femoral head articulation compared to a 28-mm femoral head articulation. This study supports earlier studies indicating the importance of the size of the femoral head in preventing hip displacements. Higher rates of dislocation was also found among individuals who have undergone the posterior approach.
Patients are advised to consider all possible options before going through surgery.In some cases, the displacement may be easily remedied by a closed reduction operation to put the ball back into place. A revision surgery may be recommended by the surgeon if it becomes a recurring problem. The repeated surgery to correct the dislocated hip may have affected the lives of patients. A Biomet lawyer was even contacted by some of them to represent them in court.
URL References:
jmedicalcasereports.com/content/3/1/8956
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2254669/
medscape.com/viewarticle/589084
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2739467/
