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What is a Hip Implant Surgery?

By M. Brandon Smith

Hip replacements can be complicated and at the same time risky, depending on what type of system you use with the surgery.

People undergo hip replacement surgery for several reasons. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Dieases (NIAMS), people with osteoarthritis in the hip joint are the most common to go for hip replacements. Other reasons hip replacements are received are for people who have an injury of the hip joint, bone tumors that break down the hip joint, and rheumatoid arthritis.

What exactly does hip replacement surgery do?

The hip replacement surgery removes diseased or damaged parts of a hip joint. It then replaces the damaged parts of the hip joint with new man-made parts. This helps alleviate and relieve the pain, helps the hip joint work better, and helps overall with improving the level of movement. Choosing what man made parts to use is highly important because sometimes the products can be risky or dangerous. Just recently, DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. announced a recall of two kinds of hip implants. The company is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

The two products subject to the recall are the ASR XL Acetabular System, a hip socket used in traditional hip replacement, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, a partial hip replacement that involves placing a metal cap on the ball of the femur. A DePuy spokeswoman, Lorie Gawreluk said that about 93,000 of these devices have been implanted worldwide. The recall finally came after over two years of complaints about the company's hip replacement implants. The implants have caused inflammation and damage to certain patients.

If you are considering having hip replacement surgery, NIAMS suggest that you prepare for surgery by learning what to expect before, during, and after surgery, stock up on food, make and freeze meals, arrange for someone to help you for a week or two after coming home from the hospital, ask someone to drive you to and from the hospital, ask the doctor for booklets about the surgery, and place items you use every day at arm level to avoid reaching up or bending down.

Study up on the man made parts that will be utilized in your hip replacement surgery.

If you or a loved one has received the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System and have experienced some type of hip pain, additional hip surgery, some type of failure with your hip replacement, you may want to contact Childers, Schlueter & Smith Firm for a free case evaluation and consultation. Our experienced team of hip implant injury lawyers will work closely with you and see to it that you are compensated for your injuries.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by M. Brandon Smith

Full post as published by Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer on December 05, 2010 (boomark / email).