At what age does a man have hip replacement surgery?

Hip replacement surgery is a considerable option for an individual of any age. The surgeon will recommend for surgery on the basis of level of pain and disability of the patient and not age or weight. Mostly, the patients undergoing total hip replacement procedure are in the age group of 50 to 80 years. But hip replacement surgery is known to be successfully performed at all ages, from teenagers or young adults in early 20s (juvenile arthritis) to the elderly patient with osteoporosis (degenerative arthritis).

This surgery, also known as total hip arthroplasty, is one of the most commonly conducted joint replacement surgeries. The surgery delivers excellent results in terms of tremendous improvement in quality of life - relief from pain, ability to perform physical tasks that were earlier difficult, and have an active lifestyle.

In cases of total hip replacement surgery in younger patients one of the problems can be that they may outlive the average lifespan of the prosthetic implant - i.e. 10-15 years. Young patients usually have an active lifestyle and usually participate in high-impact activities, this might lead to early wear-off of the artificial prosthetic. In such cases, another surgery is required to replace the primary prosthetic implant.

While in cases of older patients, problems related to general health status and slower recovery may occur.

However, the new advancements in technology, improved quality of implants, and latest techniques for joint replacement surgery has remarkably increased the success rate and patient satisfaction after the surgery. Therefore, it is important to understand that age limit is not a contraindication to hip surgery.  

Who needs hip replacement?

Hip replacement surgery is usually an option of treatment for patients suffering from damaged hip joint that is causing pain and reduced mobility. The surgery is suggested after other options of treatment like pain medication and physical therapy fail to improve the condition.

Osteoarthritis is the most common medical condition for hip pain and need for hip replacement surgery. There are other ailments which might require surgical intervention, such as:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Injury to hip or hip fracture
• Avascular necrosis
• ankylosing spondylitis
• Bone dysplasias - disorders that cause unusual bone growth
• Septic arthritis

It is time to consider surgery when:

The doctor performs detailed evaluation of the patient before recommending the option for surgery. The diagnosis is based on:

• Physical examination: to assess hip mobility, strength, and alignment.
• X-ray imaging: to determine the level of damage or deterioration of the hip joint and bones.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan may also be needed in some cases to check the status of bones and soft tissues of the hip.
• Medical history of the individual: Check for general health status and gather information about the hip pain and the ability to perform everyday activities.

Benefits of the surgery

The two major benefits of hip replacement surgery are:

• Pain relief
• You can have an active lifestyle - i.e. perform low-impact as well heavy activities

After the surgery, most people experience an improvement in sleeping, walking and other daily physical activities.

Consult an orthopedic surgeon for your hip pain and discuss treatment options. There are different types of hip replacement surgery that can be performed, various approaches and types of implants that can be used. The hip replacement surgery cost affordable price range and might varies on these factors.

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