OP
Although the insertion of an artificial hip (hip prosthesis) is a common operation in Germany, it must be planned individually. Here, x-rays and special computer programs ensure that the prosthesis is created exactly and that the operation is planned precisely. The prosthesis to be inserted can be cemented or cementless.
A combination of these two variants is called a hybrid hip prosthesis. Here the acetabular cup is screwed into the pelvis, while the prosthesis stem is cemented into the femur. If a cemented artificial hip is used, the advantage is that it can be loaded again immediately after the operation.
However, this variant is also more difficult to remove again if parts of the artificial hip joint have to be replaced after about 15 years. Before an artificial hip is inserted, the patient does not have to make any preparations. Drugs that could promote bleeding (aspirin or Marcumar) must be discontinued or may no longer be taken.
In addition to general anesthesia, the operation can also be performed with the help of a spinal cord anesthesia. This is a local anesthesia in which only the leg and the pelvis are anesthetized. An advantage compared to general anesthesia is that spinal cord near anesthesia is associated with fewer complications.
During the operation the patient lies on his back. First, access to the joint must be made possible. Therefore, the hip muscle is partially split, taking care to injure as little soft tissue as possible.
The old joint or femoral head is removed first. The acetabulum is then prepared by removing any interfering structures from the acetabulum. Now the metal shell, which represents the new acetabulum, can be inserted together with the inner shell, which ensures that the femoral head slides smoothly within the joint.
Then the implant is prepared for the prosthesis stem and the stem is mounted. After the prosthesis has been positioned and fixed in its intended place, the hip can be repositioned. Then it is checked whether the joint is functioning properly and is stable enough.
Finally, the joint is rinsed and the deep layers such as muscles and connective tissue are sutured before the wound is closed. As already mentioned, an artificial hip lasts for about 15 years.After this time, it is not unusual to change the prosthesis, as the parts of the artificial hip joint also wear out gradually. Therefore, regular follow-up examinations should be carried out even if there are no complaints.
