Hip Revision Surgery

About This Procedure

Hip revision is open surgery to replace your previous implant, including the thighbone head and hip socket. You'll have compassionate care from a team of orthopedic specialists that includes orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, radiologists and trained orthopedic nurses and physical therapists.

How to know if you need a hip revision surgery

If you had total hip replacement surgery and are having pain or difficulty with daily activities, you may need hip revision surgery. Although seemingly sturdier than the bones they replace, artificial hips may need replacing after 15 to 20 years.

Reasons to get a hip revision after you have already had a total hip replacement surgery may include:

• Mechanical parts wear and become loose
• Bits of metal from the joint and plastic from the socket break loose due to normal wear and cause inflammation
• The bone or tissue around the implant may become infected, even years afterward
• Damage as a result of strenuous, high-impact activities

If you were young when your hip was replaced, you are more likely to need a revision.

Symptoms of pain, difficulty walking and deformity may mean you need hip revision. We may X-ray your hip to check for implant wear or movement, loosening of the joint, fracture or dislocation to determine if you need hip revision surgery.

Hip revision surgery recovery time

Recovery from a hip revision surgery may take longer than what you experienced with your hip replacement. You may also have more pain, especially compared to minimally invasive total hip replacement. A day or so after surgery, our physical therapists will help you get up out of bed and start walking. They work with you and help you get moving again to regain mobility and return to an active lifestyle.

Be sure to follow your physical therapist's instructions for getting around, sitting, and bending over so you don't injure your new hip. At home, make sure that clutter and any other tripping hazards are out of your way.