Our highly experienced consultants perform thousands of hip replacements and other types of hip surgery every year
As weight-bearing joints, the hips are involved in countless movements and actions every day. If any type of damage occurs to a hip, whether relatively mild or more severe, it may limit your mobility, cause you pain or prevent you from doing the things you most enjoy.
While many people will find that their hip problems can be managed and treated effectively using non-surgical methods, others may be told that surgery will be needed to relieve their symptoms and properly resolve the issue.
If you live in London and have been told by a doctor that hip surgery may be a suitable treatment option, the experienced team of hip specialists at The London Independent Hospital would be delighted to help you get the support you need.
if you have any questions or would like to arrange a private consultation to discuss hip surgery, you can book an appointment online or by telephone via our friendly bookings team.
At Circle Health Group, our highly experienced consultants perform thousands of hip replacements and other types of hip surgery every year. In particular, hip replacement surgery is a very common procedure.
Hip surgery can refer to a few different procedures, including:
The type of hip surgery that is most suitable for you will depend on what is causing your hip problems.
“The vast majority of patients who have hip replacement surgery will find that it brings about reliable, long-term pain relief, with secondary functional gains. Some studies have recorded a positive impact on life expectancy, while others show that patients are healthier and happier following their hip replacement surgery.”
– Mr Kostas Tsitskaris, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at The London Independent Hospital
Prices for all the treatments we provide at The London Independent Hospital, including hip surgery, can be seen on our treatment prices page.
These fixed-price packages include an initial consultation, treatment and aftercare.
For your peace of mind, we will always send you written confirmation of the fixed-price fee following your consultation (and once any diagnostic tests have been carried out).
There are several ways you can pay for back pain treatment:
Your consultant will be able to discuss costs in greater detail during your appointment.
Hip surgery is incredibly common, with around 100,000 hip replacements performed in England and Wales every year.
Public health data for England shows that 97% of people who had hip replacement surgery reported improvements, with 95% saying they felt better after the surgery.
For people, who have been struggling with pain or stiffness in their hip(s) for a long period of time, to give such positive feedback shows just how much of a difference hip surgery can make.
The demand for hip surgery in London continues to be high due to a combination of an ageing population, long-term pressures on the healthcare system, and the subsequent challenges and delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A study analysing data from The National Joint Registry estimated that the demand for hip and knee joint replacement will have increased by almost 40% by 2060.
This increasing demand and limited capacity are some of the main reasons so many people are now choosing to have their hip surgery privately. By having hip surgery at The London Independent Hospital, you can get back to a better quality of life without having to wait for weeks or months.
Signs that you may need a hip surgery include:
If you are experiencing any of the above signs, speak to one of our expert consultants. Our leading hip specialists will be able to accurately diagnose the problem and give you all the information you need to make the right treatment decision for you.
There are lots of different reasons why you may need hip surgery. Some of the main reasons people may need hip surgery include:
If you have suffered acute trauma to the hip, such as a fracture, you can be seen by a Circle Health Group consultant to help review your recovery or if you would like a second opinion about your available treatment options.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that can affect any joint in the body, including your hip.
As part of healthy hip, there is a ‘ball and socket’ joint connecting the hip and the upper part of the leg (femur bone). The ball-like upper part of the femur (the femoral head) sits inside a shallow socket in the pelvis (the acetabulum). Layers of strong muscle help hold the joint securely in place as the leg is moved.
If your bones are in a joint, like the hip, there is a thin lining of articular cartilage in between them that allows the two to glide over one another smoothly and without any friction.
Osteoarthritis causes the articular cartilage to become worn and damaged. As it breaks down, movement in the joint begins to generate friction. This friction can lead to pain and stiffness in the joint. Usually, as osteoarthritis progresses and causes more damage, it will lead to more severe stiffness and pain in the joint. However, this is not always the case.
If osteoarthritis affects the hip, the ‘ball’ and ‘socket’ may begin to rub against one another. As the joint damage becomes more extensive over time, the bones’ surfaces will grate together causing pain, stiffness and reduced hip mobility.
If you have osteoarthritis in the hip and you are experiencing severe mobility issues, stiffness, and pain, hip replacement surgery may be advised.
During this operation, the natural joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint (known as an implant or prosthesis).
A hip revision is an operation to take out your old hip replacement and replace it with a brand new one. It’s typically required when your original hip replacement has become damaged, dislodged, or has developed complications. Revision surgery is not as common as hip replacement surgery.
Hip replacements can last a long time but may eventually need replacing. The longevity depends on the individual. Roughly 85% of total hip replacements have a lifespan of about 15 years, with 58% lasting for around 25 years. Some people may never need a revision after having a hip replacement.
Due to the increased complexity of revision surgery, it is only carried out in hospital with intensive therapy unit or high dependency unit (ITU or HDU) availability. While most private hospitals do not have this facility, at The London Independent Hospital we do. This means we can provide for more complex cases in a very safe environment.
Hip impingement, also known as femoroacetabular impingement or FAI, describes a condition in which the ball part of the joint (femoral head and neck) does not perfectly match the socket part of the joint (acetabulum). This leads to a pinching (impingement) in the hip, which results in a restriction of movement, pain and discomfort.
Hip arthroscopy (keyhole) surgery may be considered if hip impingement symptoms are significantly limiting your quality of life and sporting activities.
Bursitis happens when the fluid-filled sacs (known as bursa) that cushion and protect your hip joints become inflamed. This can cause swelling and severe pain.
The pain from hip bursitis may be treated through a course of physiotherapy, hip injection therapy, or anti-inflammatories.
However, sometimes these non-surgical approaches will not effectively treat hip bursitis. In this case, you might be offered hip replacement surgery to significantly reduce your symptoms.
It is important to note that surgery is only ever carried out when other treatments are no longer able to effectively manage your symptoms.
At Circle Health Group, your consultant will monitor your treatment and can adjust things as needed if your symptoms become worse.
Non operative treatments available at The London Independent include:
All hip joint injections are carried out in one of our three operating theatres to ensure a sterile, safe environment. We also use a special dye and X-ray imaging for accurate positioning of the needle for the injection.
If these treatments are not able to help, hip arthroscopy or hip replacement surgery may be advised.
As with any big operation, hip surgery comes with a recovery period. It’s useful to know how long this will last and what to expect from your recovery period before having hip surgery. This will help you to prepare as well as possible.
Hip surgery recovery looks different for everyone. Your recovery time will depend on several different factors, including your age, general fitness levels, and your reason for having surgery in the first place.
Your orthopaedic consultant will be able to give you a more personalised explanation of what to expect in terms of timelines and recovery.
Hip replacement surgery usually takes around an hour and a half, but exact timings will vary and depend on several factors.
A partial hip replacement may take less time, and a total hip replacement may take longer. Hip revision surgery is a more complex operation and will take longer.
Recovery is different for everybody, so the time it may take you to walk ‘normally’ after surgery may vary.
For most people, it takes around six to eight weeks before they're able to walk without crutches or a walking stick following hip surgery.
Patients typically wear compression socks for four to six weeks after surgery. However, your surgeon will explain how you should use these and for how long for according to your condition during recovery.
Typically, you will be given pain medication to take regularly for five days after surgery. However, if you notice uncommon adverse effects from the medication, please get in touch with your doctor for further information and discussion. Your medication may need to be altered slightly or changed to fit your health needs.
The decision to have any type of hip surgery is one not to rush into lightly. Both hip replacement surgery and hip revision surgery are major operations with significant recovery times.
It is important that you make the decision that is right for you. Your consultant will talk you through options with you to make sure you have the information you need to make an informed decision.
Before any surgery, your consultant will explain to you:
While your consultant will advise you in their professional capacity, the final decision about any type of hip surgery is always yours to make. This collaborative approach to hip surgery is one of the reasons so many people visit us for help with their hip problems.
If you have any questions or concerns, your consultant will be very happy to talk through them with you.
If you live in London, The London Independent Hospital is the ideal place to come for private hip surgery. We offer:
You can see a leading hip surgeon of your choice without delay. While waiting times for hip replacement surgery vary, we will normally be able to arrange for you to have your surgery within 2-6 weeks of your initial consultation.
Your consultant is supported by a wider multidisciplinary healthcare team, including anaesthetists, radiologists, physiotherapists and nurses.
Our high dependency unit allows us to cater for hip surgery patients with complex medical comorbidities. Even for patients with a very low anaesthetic risk, the availability of our intensive therapy unit and high dependency unit offers an extra layer of safety.
If you are struggling with a hip problem, whether long-term or more recent, we would be delighted to help you.
Why not contact us today to book your private hip surgery consultation so that we can help you access the support you need as soon as possible?
To book a consultation to discuss hip surgery with an orthopaedic surgeon near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.
Reception: 020 7780 2400
Mon-Sat: 8am-8pm
No on-site parking. Paid street parking available.
