Total hip replacement refers to the replacement of the damaged hip joint with a prosthetic joint made up of metal or plastic. The hip joint may get damaged because of several reasons, including age-related degeneration of the hip bone, osteoarthritis of the hip and injury due to accident or fall.
Hip replacement surgery can be conducted in adults of any age group. However, it is most commonly performed in patients aged between 60 and 80, with most of them surviving hip injury because of fall or damage due to osteoarthritis.
Hip pain is one of the major reasons behind the need to conduct hip replacement surgery. Chronic hip pain severely affects the day to day life of people and limits their movement. They are not able to walk, sit, stand up and climb stairs and a serious medical attention is needed if the pain is not controlled with medications or if it deteriorates over a period of time.
Total hip replacement is also known as hip arthroplasty. It is a common orthopaedic procedure which is now being conducted on thousands of patients around the world. In fact, the number of hip replacement surgeries conducted in a year has ‘sky-rocketed’ from 2000 to 2010, according to a survey conducted by CDC’s National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Hip replacement surgery in India is a common orthopaedic procedure, not only preferred by patients in India but those from abroad as well. Hip replacement cost in India is just a fraction of what it costs in other Western countries, including the US and UK.
This is the major reason why India has emerged as a hub for orthopaedic surgeries for the medical tourists. On an average, a medical tourist ends up spending 50 to 70 percent less amount when they decide to travel to India for hip replacement or for that matter any other orthopaedic surgery.
The difference in the cost of total hip replacement in India and any other country remains significant even when additional costs such as that of boarding, lodging, local transport, telephone and internet are taken into account.
Total hip replacement cost in the US is around $35,000. On the other hand, the cost of hip replacement surgery in India is just around $7,000. The total cost may depend on several other factors such as the duration of stay, choice of hospital, and choice of city for treatment.
There are several questions that a patient may have about undergoing total hip replacement. This article talks about these common notions and other considerations to make while making the decision to undergo hip replacement surgery.
HIP PAIN CAUSES
Hip pain is a common problem, especially among the elderly. The exact location or the point from where hip pain is emerging may help doctors understand the exact cause.
There are many reasons that may contribute to hip pain. For example, it may result because of a problem with the surrounding muscles, ligaments, or tendons, or it may result because of certain diseases affecting the hip bone or the lower back.
The causes of hip pain are divided into several categories, including the following:
Injuries
- Dislocation or Fracture of Hip Bone
- Inguinal Hernia
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
- Hip Labral Tear
Cancer
- Bone Cancer
- Leukaemia
Arthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Septic Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
Other reasons for hip pain include sciatica, osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, osteomyelitis, synovitis, and sacroiliitis. Depending on the exact cause of hip pain, the patient may experience pain in the thigh, buttocks, groin, or inside or outside of the hip joint. Sometimes, the pain may radiate from the groin to the hip.
