Hip replacement surgery, medically known as total hip arthroplasty, is done when the hip is severely damaged due to an injury or arthritis, and involves replacing the patient's hip joint with a ball-and-socket prosthesis. And though the purpose of hip replacement surgery is to relieve pain and improve function, it can also result in some complications.
Blood Clots
MayoClinic.com lists the formation of blood clots in the veins of the lower limbs as a potentially serious post-operative complication. The increased risk of blood clotting is mainly due to the patient's immobility after the operation. Also, the tissue damage during the operation releases substances which enhance the activation of the blood's clotting mechanisms. If a blood clot forms in a leg vein, it can break free and travel in the circulation. If the blood clot, now called an embolus, lodges in an artery in the lung, it can cause a life-threatening medical condition known as pulmonary embolism. Some preventive measures are adopted against this potentially fatal blood clotting: early mobilization after surgery, blood-thinning medication and compression elastic stockings to push the blood back to the heart.
Leg-length Inequality
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, sometimes the new hip prosthesis makes the patient's leg longer or shorter than the other one. This is a problem that an orthopedic surgeon should be able to anticipate and take preemptive measures against. However, occasionally the change in leg length is inevitable, in which case the patient may opt to wear a shoe lift in order to even out the difference. Sometimes the leg length inequality points at an underlying muscular weakness and imbalance. This is problematic because the hip muscles hold the joint in place and control the mechanics of walking. Weak muscles may predispose the patient for dislocation of the replaced hip. This is why a muscle-lengthening and strengthening program is prescribed by a doctor if a patient has weak muscles.
Infection
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons attributes infection of the prosthesis to bacteria gaining access to the bloodstream and settling around the prosthesis. The origin of these bacteria is usually the mouth, infections of the urinary tract or infected skin wounds. This is why the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons advises patients to undergo dental assessment and get any needed dental work done prior to their hip replacement procedure.
