Over 193,000 hip replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States, reports the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS). Hip replacement surgery usually is done due to loss of mobility and pain from deterioration of the hip joint or injury. While hip replacement surgery has become easier and safer since 1960, when the first surgery was performed, significant complications can still occur.
Blood Clots
The most common complication of hip replacement surgery is the formation of blood clots in the leg, the AAOS states. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include swelling, pain, warmth and redness in the leg, often in the calf, eOrthopod explains. Blood clots can break loose and lodge in the lungs, reducing blood flow to the lungs and decreasing oxygenation to the rest of the body. A blood clot in the lungs, called a pulmonary embolism, or PE, can be life-threatening. Sudden chest pain and difficulty breathing signal a possible PE. After surgery, medications to thin the blood and prevent clot formation are given commonly, and compression stockings are worn to keep blood moving in the legs. Getting out of bed and walking as soon as possible also helps prevent clot formation.
Infection
The risk of infection in the wound after hip replacement is around 1 percent, reports eOrthopod. Antibiotics normally provide adequate treatment for infection, but an infection around the new joint can necessitate removal and replacement of the prosthesis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Redness, pain and drainage at the incision site, and fever indicate possible infection.
Dislocation
Dislocation of the hip joint can occur if the leg is moved in certain positions after surgery. The risk of dislocation is decreased if you don't cross the leg past the midline of the body and don't bend more than 90 degrees at the hip. eOrthopod reports that dislocation occurs most often in the first 3 months postoperatively, and causes a popping or slipping sensation followed by an inability to bear weight on the hip.
Long Term Complications
Hip replacements don't last forever. Most artificial hip joints last 12 to 15 years before wear and tear causes them to need replacement, eOrthopod reports. The artificial joint can also loosen with time or break, requiring surgical repair, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stiffening of the tissue around the hip joint, called ossification, can make movement of the joint difficult. Some people also experience a difference in their leg lengths after surgery, requiring use of a shoe lift to even out the leg lengths, the AAOS states.
