Total hip replacement surgery, also called total hip arthroplasty, is performed more than 193,000 times a year in the United States to relieve severe pain from arthritis of the hip, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The procedure involves surgically removing the damaged parts of the hip joint and replacing them with a metal prosthesis and socket. Complications are rare, and patients with chronic conditions such as insulin-dependent diabetes, clotting disorders and severe rheumatoid arthritis are at high risk for complications.
General Complications
Any surgical procedure places the patient at risk for complications related to the surgery or to the anesthesia. The risk of serious complications after total hip arthroplasty is less than 2 percent. Risks include pneumonia, heart attack, stroke, damage to nearby arteries or veins, nerve damage or wound infection, according to the National Institutes of Health. Rarely, the patient may have a potentially fatal allergic reaction to the cement used.
Blood Clots
The most common complications of total hip arthroplasty are blood clots in the veins of the legs or pelvis, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Several days after surgery, the patient may notice swelling and pain in the affected area. Blood clots can break off and travel to the lungs, causing shortness of breath, chest pain or even death. Preventive measures include getting out of bed shortly after surgery, wearing support hose, doing ankle pump exercises and taking prescribed blood thinners.
Infection
Patients who have undergone any type of joint replacement surgery are at risk for developing infections in the future. Most commonly, these infections are caused by introduction of bacteria into the body through a dental or surgical procedure, a urinary tract infection or an infection on the skin.
Mechanical Issues
After total hip arthroplasty, one leg may be shorter than the other, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The joint may become dislocated or fractured. The joint may be stiff and, in a few patients, the pain may be worse or unchanged after surgery.
Need for Replacement
Hip joints usually last 10 to 15 years, according to the Cleveland Clinic; although newer techniques and materials make it less likely that replacements will be needed. When the artificial joint wears down, some bone loss occurs as well.
