Panama Medical Vacations
Moving without Pain in Panama after Hip Replacement Surgery
Joint replacement surgery is removing a damaged joint and putting in a new one. A joint is where two or more bones come together, like the knee, hip, or shoulder. The surgery is usually done by a doctor called an orthopedic surgeon. Sometimes, the surgeon will not remove the whole joint, but will only replace or fix the damaged parts.
The doctor may suggest an hip replacement surgery to improve your quality of life. Replacing a joint can help you relieve pain and move and feel better. Coming to Panama for an hip replacement surgery can give you the freedom to get up and move around again.
The Procedure
In theory, the procedure for a hip replacement surgery is quite simple. Your surgeon will make an incision is made over the hip to expose the underlying bones. The surgeon will replace the three bones that comprise your hip joint with metal prosthetic bones. After the surgeon has replaced the hip, the wound is closed and the patient is sent to recovery. This procedure is performed under general anesthetic and generally takes around 2 hours.
After your surgery
With hip replacement surgeries, you may be able to go home in 3–5 days. How long you stay in the hospital will be determined by you and your team of doctors as they monitor your progress.
After hip replacement surgery, you will often stand and begin walking with crutches the day of surgery. You may have pain around the new joint because of your surgery and because your muscles are likely weakened in this area. Remember that your body is healing; the pain can be helped with medicines and shouldn’t last for more than a few weeks.
Physical therapy will probably begin the day after your surgery. This will begin to help you strengthen the muscles around the new joint and help you regain your range of motion. A physical therapist will help you with gentle, exercises specifically designed for your condition. Before you leave the hospital, your therapist will show you exercises you can continue. The level of success that you achieve from your hip replacement surgery will mostly depend on your dedication to improving your strength and flexibility.
Risks
Hip replacement surgery has a success rate of over 90 percent. When problems do occur, most are treatable. Possible risks include infection, blood clots, loosening of the joint, dislocation, wear and nerve or blood vessel injury.