Hip Replacement Surgery Cost, Risks, and Success Rates Explained

Overview

A hip replacement is a surgical procedure that includes the removal and replacement of portions of an injured hip joint either with an artificial joint or implant. It is aimed to relieve extremely severe hip pain and stiffness caused by hip arthritis and to improve function.

The implants used in this procedure are as follows:

• The Stem, which is made out of metal (either titanium or cobalt-chrome), is inserted into the thighbone.
• The Ball, which is usually made out of polished metal or ceramic, fits on top of the stem.
• The Socket is a combination of a plastic liner and a cobalt-chrome or titanium backing.

Hip implants generally last for around 13 to 15 years. After this time period, the patient undergoes another surgery which is known as Hip revision surgery.

What is the cost of Hip Replacement Surgery in India?

• Single Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India start from INR 252,000 (USD 3000).
• Bilateral Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India start from INR 588,000 (USD 7000).
• Total Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India start from INR 462,000 (USD 5500).
• This cost can be less or more depending upon the hospital, experience of doctors, quality and type of implant used and many more parameters.

Factors Affecting the Hip Replacement Surgery Cost in India

• Type and quality of implant used
• The type of hospital room preferred
• Experience of the surgeon
• Cost of medicines and other consumables
• Management of post-surgery complications
• The total duration of hospital stay
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy costs

 

Reasons for Hip Replacement Surgery

There are several conditions involved in hip degeneration, thereby making hip replacement surgery necessary.
These include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Osteonecrosis: In case of disrupted blood supply to the ball portion of the hip joint, resulting mainly from a dislocation or fracture, the ball might collapse and deform.

You might consider hip replacement if you have:

• Persistent pain in spite of medication
• Worsening pain in the hip while walking
• Inability to climb stairs
• Difficulty to rise from a seated position

Types of Hip Replacement Surgery

The three major types of hip replacement are:

• Total hip replacement 
• Partial hip replacement
• Hip resurfacing

Total HipReplacement: Most commonly performed hip surgery which involves worn-out or damaged areas of the hip being replaced with artificial implants. During the procedure, the doctor inserts a stem into the patient’s femur for stability. The head of the femur is replaced with a ball made up of metallic or ceramic alloy and the natural socket in the hip joint is replaced with a durable plastic cup.

Hemi Hip Replacement (Hip hemiarthroplasty): This procedure involves the removal and replacement of the patient’s femoral head only. It does not replace the socket. Surgeons typically perform this surgery in old age patients to repair certain types of hip fractures.

Hip Resurfacing: Hip resurfacing helps to relieve pain from cartilage loss. It involves resurfacing of the femoral head and socket. Most commonly performed in younger patients.

Diagnosis Before Hip Replacement Surgery

The diagnosis of patients requiring this procedure is mostly symptom-oriented which includes pain, loss of range of motion, and functional impairments in activities of daily life.

Apart from those certain special investigations like X-Ray, CT scans, and MRI is carried out to know the exact level of damage involved.

Hip Replacement Surgery Procedures

Hip replacement surgery can be performed in two ways namely traditional hip replacement and minimally invasive technique.

Traditional hip replacement

During Traditional hip replacement, the patient is given anesthesia at first. The doctor makes an incision along the side of the hip and dissects the muscles to expose the hip joint. After this, the ball portion of the joint is removed by cutting the femur with a saw. Then an artificial joint is attached to it using either cement or uncemented implants that allows the remaining bone to attach to the new joint.

The doctor then prepares the surface of the hipbone by removing any damaged cartilage and attaches the replacement socket part to the hipbone. The new ball part of the femur is then inserted into the socket part of the hip. A drain may be put in to help drain any fluid. The doctor then reattaches the muscles and closes the incision. 

Minimally-invasive hip replacement

In the minimally-invasive approach, doctors make one to two incisions from 2 to 5 inches long. The same procedure is performed through these small cuts as with standard hip replacement surgery. The small incisions are mainly aimed to limit blood loss, ease pain after surgery, shorten hospital stays, reduce scar appearance, and accelerate healing.

Risk Associated with Hip Replacement Surgery

Generally, hip replacement surgery does have a very good prognosis. However, like all other surgeries, this also has some risks associated with it. These are as follows:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood clots in the legs or lungs
• Injury to associated nerves
• Fracture
• Dislocation

Recovery After Hip Replacement Surgery

Recovery after hip replacement surgery starts immediately and the patient is encouraged to get up and move around as soon as possible after surgery. Six to eight weeks of intense physiotherapy regime is required by the patient to improve muscle strength and range of motion.

While in the recovery stage, patients need to be sure about the following things:

• Don’t moist the surgical area. Keep it clean and dry. The doctor will give specific bathing instructions
• Take all medications as directed
• Keep all the follow-up appointments with your surgeon
• Attend physical therapy and complete home exercises
• Resume your normal diet unless otherwise instructed
• Do not drive until your doctor says it is safe to do so

Outlook of Hip Replacement Surgery

The long-term outcome of this procedure is very good and similar to other approaches. Occasionally, an artificial hip tends to get loose or wears out after several years and has to be replaced. Most likely the new hip will function well and improve the quality of life for many years. This procedure boosts patients’ confidence and they can perform their routine activities like before.