The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. The head of the femur, or thighbone, forms the ball. It nestles within a socket in the pelvic bone called the "acetabulum," a Latin term meaning "little vinegar cup, " which is a reference to the shape of the structure. Hip dysplasia occurs when the head of the femur is not properly positioned within the acetabulum.
Those with severe hip joint dysplasia should be made aware that they are more at risk of complications during surgical hip joint replacement.
Anesthesia Complications
Any surgery that requires the use of general anesthesia involves a certain degree of risk of complications related to the anesthesia. The National Institutes of Health explains that complications related to anesthesia can include a heart attack, stroke, pneumonia and pulmonary blood clots. For a comprehensive description of possible anesthesia complications, patients should discuss their upcoming surgery with their anesthesiologist.
Infection
Surgeries can leave the body vulnerable to infection, though the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons assures that joint infections due to hip replacement occur in less than 2 percent of patients. A chronically ill patient, with a weakened immune system, may be more prone to infection. Infections can increase the amount of time needed for full recovery, or could limit the success of the surgery.
Blood Clots
Extended periods of recumbent convalescence can increase the risk of blood clots in the deep veins of the legs. MayoClinic.com advises patients to resume activity as soon as their health care provider recommends it, as movement decreases the chance that a blood clot will form. Blood clots can be extremely dangerous, as they can break off and travel through the blood vessels to become lodged in the lungs. Such an occurrence is referred to as a pulmonary embolism, and it can be fatal.
Muscle Wasting
The extensive convalescence involved in recovery from hip replacement can sometimes result in muscle wasting due to disuse. Physical therapy can help fend off some of the effects of lack of exercise due to convalescence.
Leg Length Inequality
Patients sometimes experience a discrepancy in the length of their legs following surgery, or in other cases, find that the surgery has exacerbated a preexisting leg length inequality due to hip dysplasia. The AAOS advises patients to consult their orthopaedic surgeon regarding any leg-length discrepancies so that any biomechanical and stability related problems in the hip can be compensated for. Sometimes a shoe lift is helpful in correcting the inequality in leg length.
