Hip Replacements at St Hugh's Hospital
This article was published in the Grimsby Telegraph, Health Matters column in February 2011.
HIP REPLACEMENTS By Donna Read, Hospital Director of St Hugh’s Hospital, Grimsby
It is nearly 50 years since Sir John Charnley, working in the North of England, pioneered the first reliable hip replacement, an anniversary that has merited its own commemorative stamp from Royal Mail. Since these early days, many millions of such operations have been undertaken throughout the world and some 100,000 new hips are now implanted every year in England and Wales alone. The operation, whilst a major step, offers patients relief from the agony of hip arthritis and can transform lives.
The artificial hip, however, does not last forever and people are living ever longer. Advances in the last 50 years have brought significant improvements in outcomes; surgical techniques and training have advanced, modern anaesthesia allows patients to be wide awake during their operation if they wish and extensive research has developed the materials used in making the artificial hips. Nowadays hip replacement is amongst the most commonly performed major operation at St. Hugh’s Hospital in Grimsby and other hospitals.
Patients, with help from their GP’s, will have tried to control their symptoms, mainly pain, with painkillers and exercise, but in time these may not be enough and the time comes to consider surgery. The surgeon will examine the patient and their x-rays, and will discuss if surgery is suitable. What is likely to be gained and what risks are involved will be different for every patient. The various sorts of hip replacements available will be discussed, and the model best suited to the patient’s needs will be explained. New is not always best and some of the long-established, ‘old fashioned’ hip replacements are still the best for many patients [IMAGE OF THR/XRAY].
Once agreement is reached, patients are offered a thorough medical check, a medical ‘MOT test’ and a date is booked for admission to hospital. The operation is performed on that day. Patients are out of bed and walking within a day and usually back home just a few days later. The control of post-operative pain is carefully undertaken; the soreness from the operation soon settles and gradually normal life resumes, but without the pain that was never far away before surgery.
Patients are checked a few weeks later in the outpatient department to ensure all is well and usually discharged back to the care of their GP. Previous activities such as golf, dancing and walking are soon resumed with renewed enthusiasm.
How long do they last? With care, the large majority, perhaps 80%, will be working well 20 or more years after surgery, if the patient lives that long! A small minority wear out before this and will need re-doing, though this can be difficult. In younger patients the very real possibility of revision surgery in the future needs to be taken into account.
So, hip replacement surgery has achieved its place as among the most successful of operations, bringing relief from pain and a return to normality for sufferers.
To book a consultation ring 01472 251100
