Arthritis & Joint Replacement Clinic
C-21, 4th Floor, Yugadharm Complex,
Opposite ICICI Bank, Near Hotel Centre Point,
Ramdaspeth, Nagpur 10, MS, INDIA
Avascular necrosis of femoral head Various causes of hip arthritis are age related wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis, ‘avascular necrosis’ of the hip etc. ‘Avascular necrosis’ means death of the head of femur bone because of loss of blood supply.
Sickle cell disease, alcohol consumption, prolonged treatment with medicines called as steroids, fracture of the hip etc are most common causes of avascular necrosis of the hip joint. Some rare & unknown diseases can cause avascular necrosis of the hip as well.
Sickle cell disease is very common
in and around central India. Even though in India, arthritis of the knees is more common than the arthritis of the hip, in Central India especially around Nagpur region, there is higher prevalence of hip arthritis because of sickle cell disease.
Beware of long term
steroid medications Hip and knee are the most significant joints that are affected by arthritis. Every time we perform our day to day activities like walking, standing, getting up from a chair or bed etc all our body weight is always transmitted through our hip & knee joints. Therefore in patients with arthritis of hip and knee there is severe pain even in normal day to day activities. There can also be shortening of the lower limb.
Arthritis of hip joint Pain leads to restriction of activity and loss of freedom leading to disability (handicap) and dependence. Patients having advanced arthritis cannot do simple activities like walking, sitting, getting up from a seat due to pain. As the disease progresses, they cannot go outside the confines of the four walls of their home even for simple activities like shopping, buying milk or vegetables. In the advanced stages of arthritis even household activities like going to toilet, cleaning, washing, wearing socks or tying shoe laces evoke pain leading to serious disability and dependence on others like spouse, family members, servants or neighbours.
Hip arthritis in an 18 yr old
patient of sickle cell disease Various treatment options available for hip arthritis include pain-killer medications and joint preserving surgeries in the early stages. In the advanced stages only a hip joint replacement can help the patient get relief from pain and regain normal movement. Hip joint replacement is so effective and popular surgery all over the world that, in an online poll hip replacement was voted as the single most significant medical discovery of the 20th century.
Pain, loss of motion, restriction of activity, difficulty in walking, unequal leg lengths. Dependence on others, permanent disability, loss of confidence are other outcomes of this disease process.
Hip replacement surgery is performed primarily for pain relief and also to regain independence and ability to do day to day work.
The hip joint consists of femoral head (ball) inside the acetabulum (socket). In a hip replacement, the femoral head is either resurfaced or removed and replaced with a ball attached to a stem which is inserted into the shaft of the femur (thigh bone). The acetabulum is then enlarged and a new socket inserted.
There are a variety of bearing surfaces that can be used depending on patient’s age, activity & bone quality.
The patients are hospitalized for less than 1 week after surgery. Most patients recover quite quickly from surgery. The recovery is much faster in thinner and hard working patients and those who are motivated to participate in active rehabilitation.