Millions of people worldwide suffer chronic pain and reduced mobility due to hip problems. This article reviews common problems and how hip surgeons can help. Progress in most fields of medicine was already quite advanced during the era of ancient Greece and Rome. By contrast, orthopaedics, as it would later be known, remained limited to treating fractures and spinal deformities in children until the mid-1800s.
Today, orthopaedic surgeons can perform surgical procedures previously only dreamed of, relieving pain, restoring mobility and changing the lives of millions affected by problems with their joints. Initially, attention focused on the knee. The experience gained provided insights that would later assist the orthopaedic surgeon in developing life-changing interventions for patients with a damaged or diseased hip joint.
Common Problems Addressed by Hip Surgeons
Chronic pain, swelling, inflammation and reduced mobility are common signs of a hip problem. However, the underlying causes differ, as does their treatment. The following are just four reasons to perform surgery on this joint:
- Osteoarthritis: This is the most common hip problem and results from the progressive degeneration of the protective cartilage layer on the head of the femur and the acetabulum, leading to bone-on-bone contact, pain, swelling and stiffness.
- Traumatic injury: Contact sports and falls by older people whose bones are often brittle due to osteoporosis frequently lead to fractures that can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
- Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is a congenital condition in which the acetabular socket does not fully cover the head of the femur, the ball component of this ball-and-socket joint. This misalignment causes instability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis.
- Labral tears: Trauma, structural abnormalities, or repetitive motion can tear the labrum, the ring of cartilage surrounding the acetabular socket. Labral tears are characterised by pain, clicking sounds and joint instability.
Procedures Frequently Performed by Hip Surgeons
Hip problems are both commonplace and debilitating, but modern orthopaedic surgery is changing lives daily with procedures like these:
- Hip replacements: Also known as hip arthroplasty, the procedure involves removing the damaged portions of the femoral head and acetabular socket and replacing these with prosthetic components made from biocompatible materials like titanium, plastic and ceramics.
- Hip resurfacing: This procedure is often considered preferable to a replacement when treating younger patients. It involves capping the femoral head with a smooth metal covering rather than removing it.
- Arthroscopy: An arthroscope is a tubular instrument with lenses and a light source that enables a surgeon to inspect the interior of a joint via a keyhole incision. Once purely a diagnostic tool, it has since been adopted to perform minimally invasive surgery on the hip and other joints.
- Osteotomy: Often used on young patients with hip dysplasia, this procedure involves the surgeon cutting and realigning the bones to improve joint function and slow the progression of arthritis.
Experienced Hip Surgeons in South Africa
Anyone can develop a hip problem; age is not a factor. Traumatic injuries can happen without warning, and osteoarthritis is now being seen more frequently in people aged 50 and younger. If you are experiencing chronic hip pain and mobility loss, contact the team at the Wilgers Life Hospital orthopaedic department in Pretoria, where hip surgeons like Dr Jan De Vos are performing life-changing procedures daily.
