Hip Revision Surgery
Patients suffering hip complications as a result of receiving a Depuy hip may need to to undergo a second hip surgery- or revision surgery- to correct their condition. Despite the major inconvenience, extensive rehabilitation process, and significant pain these patients will have to endure, hip revision surgery presents what may be these patients’ only chance at getting on with their lives.
Premature DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Failure
Hip revision surgery is a procedure that replaces a previously implanted hip-joint with a new artificial hip-joint. The average implant lasts about 25 years. A significant number of DePuy ASR hip implant recipients reported a need for revision surgery within just 5 years. Revision surgery by definition is simple; however, the actual surgery is not. Revision surgery carries its own set of complications and issues.
Hip Revision Surgery Vs. Total Hip Replacement
The revision procedure may be riskier, more expensive, and more complicated than the patient’s first total hip replacement. Surgeons must take into consideration numerous factors that potentially make the revision surgery more difficult such as the age and health condition of the patient, the condition of the bones, the amount of scar tissue, the type of prosthetic implant that was used in the first surgery, and whether cement was used to hold the first hip implant in place. Any problems concerning the underlying bones potentially interfere with finding a secure area for the replacement implant.
The revision surgery itself requires more time than the patient’s original hip replacement. The first step in a revision procedure is to remove the old prosthesis, the part attached to the socket is first removed. The hip socket is then cleaned and filled with grafted bone. Revision of the replacement part that connects to the femur is the most complicated segment of the procedure. If cement was used to attach the former prosthetic, the bone is cut in several places to remove the implant. The surgeon removes the cement, the bone cleaned, and the implant placed into the femur bone. Finally, the surgeon checks the hip replacement’s position for correctness and the surgery is complete.
Complications of hip revision surgery
Hip revision surgery is not without significant complications. There is a risk of infection, the length of a patient’s leg could be affected, and an implant dislocation has a greater chance of occurring. There may be a longer hospital stay and the time of recovery at home may also increase. Revision implants also have a shorter life span than the original implant.
Many of the people who received the defective hips and face the prospect of having the revision surgery share the idea that financial gain and lack of patient consideration is the reason DePuy Orthopedics produced a defective product.
