Revision Hip Replacement

While total hip replacements is one of the most successful procedures you can have, your new hip may require additional surgery for a variety of reasons including component wear, component loosening and recurrent dislocation. In many ways, a revision is actually more complex than the initial procedure, depending on whether the entire prosthesis needs to be removed or replaced, or just some components. If there is damage to the bone or soft tissue, we may need to rebuild with bone grafts or metal substitutes.  

In some cases, only the ‘ball’ and plastic liner of your joint needs to be replaced. In other instances, the implants must be completely removed and replaced, and may even require multiple surgeries.

The surgery can be performed under regional (awake but numb from the waist down) or general anaesthetic (fully asleep) and typically takes several hours.

An example of a revision total hip replacement

The procedure itself involves making an incision, usually following the line of the original incision, and exposing the hip joint. We then inspect the soft tissues in your hip as well as the prosthesis to identify any potential problems. After removing the original implants, the bone surfaces are prepared and specialised revision implants will be inserted. These can sometimes require extra work including multiple screws to hold them in place depending on how the original implants were attached and the amount of bone loss that has occurred.

This surgery requires a hospital stay of at least a week, after which you may need physical therapy or be given a set of simple exercises to help restore your strength and range of motion. You’ll most likely need a walker, cane or crutches for a few days or weeks until your comfortable enough to walk on your own. Most patients are back to light activities within six to twelve weeks.

Revision Hip Replacement Fast Facts

Standard Procedure Time:2-3 hours
Standard Hospital Stay:7-10 nights
Recovery Time:6-12 weeks
Return to Light Activities:6-12 weeks
Return to Full Activities:3 months