Hip arthritis can severely impact a person’s life, making even daily activities difficult and painful. If hip arthritis symptoms do not improve with more conservative treatments, total hip replacement can be a great option to help these patients get their lives back.
Dr. Lucian Warth is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in hip and knee replacement. Dr. Warth has a particular interest in total hip replacement because it is one of the most successful procedures in all of orthopedics. Being able to relieve hip pain and restore motion for patients is one of his favorite aspects of being an orthopedic surgeon. Dr. Warth has had extensive training in hip replacement surgery and frequently takes on even the most complex cases.
When Might Total Hip Replacement Be Recommended?
Whenever possible, patients with hip arthritis are treated with nonsurgical methods like anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and activity modification. However, if these more conservative methods do not relieve arthritis pain, if arthritis gets worse, or if it affects a patient’s everyday life, hip replacement surgery may be considered.
Patients who are eligible for total hip replacement typically have the following issues or symptoms:
- Hip, groin, or buttock pain that is severe enough to limit normal activities
- Pain that continues while at rest
- Stiffness in the hip that limits mobility
Total Hip Replacement Procedure
There are many different opinions on which different approaches and technologies are best for hip replacement, even among orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Warth has a strong academic background and considers available research before introducing new procedures.
Though the direct anterior approach has been touted by many as the “latest and greatest” total hip replacement, Dr. Warth believes that it does not provide real improvement over the results of a more traditional, ‘tried and true’ posterior hip replacement. In fact, Dr. Warth has seen several patients who had to have an additional surgical procedure to correct problems resulting from anterior hip replacement. Though the marketing behind anterior hip replacement is strong, based on the data, Dr. Warth believes that the posterior approach is more reliable, and certainly equivalent in terms of success and pain relief, and ultimately what is best for patients in the long term should revision or a ‘re-do’ procedure become necessary.
Dr. Warth uses the posterior approach for all total hip replacement patients. The total procedure lasts about 60-90 minutes. During the procedure, he makes an incision at the side of the hip to access the joint. He then removes the damaged bone and cartilage from the hip and replaces it with hip titanium, ceramic, and plastic implants which are safe and inert in the human body. This eliminates painful arthritis in the hip while allowing for more normal hip function.
Recovering from Total Hip Replacement
After hip replacement surgery with Dr. Warth, most patients are able to return home the same day. If a patient has a preexisting condition that requires monitoring or does not feel comfortable returning home the same day, they are able to stay at the hospital overnight.
Patients begin initially walking with a walker or cane if needed, often progressing to independent walking without an assistive device in the first few days to weeks. Return to activity is gradual, but patients are encouraged to be as active as they like while they recover. Physical therapy is an option if a patient wants more assistance ‘fine tune’ range of motion and strength, but most patients do well with at-home exercises. If physical therapy is desired, Dr. Warth does not recommend beginning until 4-6 weeks after surgery.
Within 2-4 weeks of surgery, the vast majority of patients are walking without assistive devices and are able to resume everyday activities like driving. In the long term, patients are able to regain their lives and participate in normal activities without having to worry about hip pain interfering.
Total Hip Replacement in the Indianapolis Area
Dr. Lucian Warth is a board certified, fellowship trained hip replacement specialist. Dr. Warth has a special interest in hip replacement because it allows him to correct pain and dysfunction in the hip. Helping patients return to their desired outcomes is perhaps the most rewarding part of his practice. Dr. Warth takes an academic, research-based approach to selecting the right surgical approaches for patients, only adopting new procedures if they present a true improvement upon current techniques. With his extensive training and background, Dr. Warth is able to handle even the most complex of hip replacements, restoring function for patients who have been turned away by other surgeons.
If you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Warth, please call our office at (317) 817-1200 or use our Appointment Request form.