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Our Services / Hip Replacement

Orthopaedic Specialists located in Bloomfield Hills and Clarkston, MI

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Hip Replacement

Hip replacement offers freedom from the pain and limited mobility resulting from advanced arthritis. If you’re failing to find relief with non-surgical treatments for hip pain, the experienced surgeons at Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County can help. They specialize in performing hip replacement surgery and can often use minimally invasive techniques that enable you to go home the same day. To find out more about hip replacement and how it could help you, call the office in Bloomfield Hills or Clarkston, Michigan, or book an appointment online today.


What is a hip replacement?

Hip replacement is a surgical procedure that Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County surgeons use to treat patients with severe and incurable hip pain. It’s one of the most effective and successful procedures in orthopedic surgery.

Hip replacement involves removing the femoral head at the top of your thigh bone (femur), which forms the ball part of your hip joint. Your surgeon also hollows out the socket (acetabulum) in your pelvis where the ball sits. Replacement hip implants typically consist of metals like cobalt-chromium or titanium and plastic.

Why might I need a hip replacement?

By far, the most common reason why you’d need a hip replacement is osteoarthritis.

This disease can affect any joint, developing after years of wear-and-tear that causes the joint surfaces to deteriorate. The protective articular cartilage — a smooth, slippery coating that enables bones to slide over each other — gets thinner as you age, exposing the bones and creating friction in the joint.

Chronic pain, stiffness, and weakness follow, which worsen over time. Conservative approaches such as medication, physical therapy, and joint injections can often keep the symptoms under control for years. For some patients, though, arthritis reaches the point where these treatments are no longer effective, and hip replacement is the best option.

What happens when I have hip replacement surgery?

Hip replacement surgery requires careful planning beforehand to fit the implant to the patient as precisely as possible. Your surgeon at Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County makes an incision in your skin and muscles to access the hip, then removes the arthritic part of the femoral head and the socket.

The new femoral head is on a spike that fits inside the thigh bone. Your surgeon can press-fit the new socket into place or use bone cement to hold it in position. They may also use special implants that encourage bone to grow and fix the implants in place.

Hip replacement may take place under general anesthetic with a couple of days in the hospital afterward. For suitable patients, Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County also offers same-day joint replacement surgery using minimally invasive techniques that enable you to have surgery in the morning and be at home in the afternoon. 

How long does it take to recover from hip replacement surgery?

You need to use a walker or cane for four weeks after your hip replacement and undergo physical therapy to regain maximum function. When you fully recover, you should be able to resume most of your normal activities without pain. Hip replacements typically last for 15-20 years.

To find out whether hip replacement surgery is right for you, call Orthopedic Specialists of Oakland County or book an appointment online today.