Hip Replacement Surgery and Senior Citizens

For many senior citizens, the prospect of a hip replacement surgery, called arthroplasty, is a very real possibility. This surgery allows the weakened or diseased parts of the hip joint to be replaced with artificial parts called prosthetics. The benefits of the procedure include decreased pain, increased movement and flexibility, and an overall improvement in quality of life.
There are many conditions that may make it necessary for the patient to have hip replacement surgery, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis Individual Health Definition (an inflammatory disease that causes swelling and pain), and bone disease that can involve the deterioration of bone by tumors or injury.
To prepare for arthroplasty, there are many things that a caregiver can do to reassure their patient, who may be fearful or unsure about surgery. This includes:
1. Requesting information from doctors so the patient can know what to expect before, during, and after surgery
2. Get the house ready for the patient’s recovery; it can be helpful to have many of their everyday items such as glasses, remote control, and the telephone within easy reach
3. Patients should follow their doctor’s orders, even if they think they are Pharmacist Degree strong enough or recovered enough to do more than they are supposed to.
After surgery, the patient should do everything they can to improve their success rate. Often there are exercises they can do or even appointments with physical therapists to improve the hip strength and lessen the chances for injury. Complete rehabilitation takes an average of 3 to 6 months, depending upon the age and overall health of the patient.
There can be complications with a hip replacement surgery. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, approximately 193,000 arthroplasties are performed each year, and about 10 percent of patients can experience negative side effects such as hip dislocation or inflammation due to the tiny particles that wear off the artificial hip and are absorbed into the body. It can be necessary to redo the surgery to correct the problems with a revision surgery. In other cases, medications can alleviate the inflammation problems.