Hip replacement surgery

Tired of battling hip pain? We're here to help

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure during which your consultant removes your painful hip joint and replaces it with an artificial hip (also known as a prosthesis). This is usually made of metal, ceramic, or plastic material (or a combination of the three).

At The Shirley Oaks Hospital in Croydon, our team of dedicated orthopaedic consultants can plan and perform your hip replacement surgery with accuracy and precision. We offer our tailored treatment and services to people who live in Croydon, Surrey, and further afield. To find out more about our services, call us or book an appointment with one of our specialist Consultants online today.

Why might you need hip replacement surgery?

There are several reasons why you might need hip replacement surgery at The Shirley Oaks Hospital, including:

Osteoarthritis: The majority of cases we see at The Shirley Oaks Hospital are related to osteoarthritis of the hip. This is a degenerative form of arthritis that causes your joints to become painful and stiff. It is the most common type of arthritis in the UK, occurring when the smooth cartilage across your joint surface wears out over time. Many people with osteoarthritis suffer from:

Groin pain
Pain in the buttock
Pain in the side of the hip
Pain going down the thigh, causing limping
Stiffness first thing in the morning
Discomfort when they turn in bed
Pain after exercise

Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful inflammatory joint condition caused by an autoimmune process, which happens when your body attacks its healthy cells by mistake. This often causes pain, swelling, and inflammation in your joints.

A hip fracture: Hip fractures happen when cracks occur at the top of your thigh-bone (femur) in your hip joint. They are usually caused by a traumatic injury such as a contact sports injury, but they can sometimes be caused by a condition that weakens your hip bone, such as osteoporosis.

Septic arthritis: This is a severe joint infection that can be caused by a traumatic injury to your joint, including a bite or wound. This form of arthritis requires immediate medical attention. The damage caused by septic arthritis can lead to the need for hip replacement surgery

A lot of these conditions are soft tissue conditions around the side of your hip, which can be treated with other treatment options such as physiotherapy and steroid injections. However, hip replacement surgery is needed when these treatment options do not alleviate your symptoms. Common symptoms that indicate you might need hip replacement surgery are:

Hip pain
Hip stiffness
Swelling
Redness, or a feeling of warmth across your hip
Pain when walking
Pain when having sex
Pain that keeps you awake at night

During your initial consultation, your consultant will assess your medical history, examine you carefully, and arrange for an X-ray of your hip if needed.

A consultation will assess the severity of your symptoms and whether surgery is the right treatment option for you. Sometimes, your consultant will suggest weight loss, physiotherapy, or pain relief medication before they do surgery.

This depends on which treatment options you have already tried and whether these have been effective. If you need hip replacement surgery, your consultant will arrange this for you.

After your initial consultation, your consultant and multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals will ensure you understand the next steps in your journey and how to prepare for hip replacement surgery, if needed.

There are two types of hip replacement surgery: total and partial hip replacement surgery.

Partial vs total hip replacement surgery

These use slightly different surgical method to treat your hip pain.

Partial hip replacement:

During this surgery, your consultant will remove and replace your damaged femoral head. Your femoral head is the upper end of your femur (your thigh-bone). This will be replaced with a prosthesis (an artificial femoral head), which is typically a metal ball attached to a metal stem.

Total hip replacement (also called known as arthroplasty):

This form of surgery involves the removal of your femoral head and the realigning of your socket (together, known as your ball and socket joint). The socket and head can be removed and replaced with a prosthesis made of cemented or uncemented material. Both forms of material effectively secure your prosthesis.

The surgical process differs depending on which type of hip replacement surgery you have, but regardless of which procedure you have, you will be administered general or spinal anaesthetic beforehand, which will numb your lower body and prevent you from feeling any pain during surgery.

How long does a hip replacement take?

The operation(s) typically take one to two hours to perform, and patients are remarkably comfortable after the surgery, to the extent that if they have surgery in the morning, they are usually out of bed and walking later in the afternoon (with the help of crutches).

Every person’s recovery journey differs depending on a number of factors, including:

How fit you were before having hip replacement surgery
Your usual everyday activities
The nature of your job
Your age

Your consultant will understand your personal circumstances better and be able to advise what your hip surgery recovery timeline looks like.

Some initial pain and swelling around your hip joint are normal following hip replacement surgery. Your consultant can advise how to manage this with painkillers and heat therapy.

After only one or two days after surgery, most people can get out of bed and walk with the help of walking aids such as crutches or a walker. Your physiotherapist will help you take your first steps following the procedure.

Most people can leave hospital after up to two to three days, but you will need a friend or family member to collect you. Within a couple of weeks, you will be able to walk more regularly, but you will require the use of a walking aid for up to eight weeks.

After two to six weeks, you can start incorporating gentle exercise, such as long walks or gentle swimming, into your everyday routine. You can also usually return to work at this stage, depending on the type of work you do (if you have an office job, you can return to the office).

Six to 12 weeks after hip replacement surgery, you should be well on the way to a full recovery and able to carry out everyday activities with ease.

Physiotherapy after hip replacement surgery

Your physiotherapist will build a specialist exercise plan tailored to your needs following surgery. They will also help you incorporate exercise into your daily routine at home. These exercises will strengthen your hip muscles and improve your mobility.

Your hip replacement cost in the UK will differ depending on where you receive treatment and the procedural options chosen by your consultant.

The final hip replacement cost will be confirmed in writing following your consultation and any necessary diagnostic tests.

We offer many flexible, easy payment options. These help you spread the cost of your payment over a time that suits your needs.

To find out more about the cost of hip replacement surgery at The Shirley Oaks Hospital, you can speak to a trusted member of our advisory.

It is important to remember that complications from hip replacement surgery are rare and that complications can occur during any surgery, not just hip replacement surgery.

Potential complication during a surgical procedure include:

Hip pain
Infection in the surgical wound
Excessive bleeding
Scarring
Blood clotting
Chest infection
Difficulty passing urine
Stroke

Specific complications that can occur during a hip replacement surgery include:

Split in your femur
Damage to your nerves
Damage to blood vessels
Infection in your hip
Bone forming in the muscles around your hip replacement
Persistent pain around your greater trochanter (the tip of your femur)
Loosening of your joint
Hip dislocation
Leg length discrepancy

Serious complications as a result of hip replacement surgery are rare. If you have any concerns about these, speak with your consultant.

They will be able to discuss their likelihood with you in more detail and put your worries at ease.

When you choose to go private with The Shirley Oaks Hospital in Croydon, you can expect:

Flexible appointment times and locations to fit your routine
The freedom to choose which hospital and consultant suit your needs
Personalised, consultant-led treatment plans tailored to your individual needs
Comfortable and safe private facilities maintained by expert multidisciplinary teams
Support by the same compassionate clinical team from beginning to end
Affordable, fixed-price packages with aftercare included
Flexible payment options to spread the cost of your care
Exceptional ratings, with 97.7% of patients said they were likely or extremely likely to recommend us to their friends and family

If you would like to learn more about this procedure, book your appointment online today, or call a member of our team.