Hip Arthritis: Total Hip Replacement Animation

Hip Arthritis: Total Hip Replacement Animation

In this animation, a hip replacement surgery will be done on a left hip with the patient lying on their right side. For this approach, the incision will be just in front of the hip bone on the outside. The surgeon will go through the soft tissue and capsule to get down to the hip joint.

The surgeon will work on the ball and socket separately. The first step is to remove the ball that has the damaged cartilage on it. It is cut off using a saw blade. This gives more room to replace the socket side, which is done first. The surgeon chooses the correct size reamer to match the size of the socket and uses it to remove all of the damaged cartilage in the socket, preparing the bone for the new metal cup that will replace the socket side.

Next, the surgeon will take the correct size metal cup and insert it into the bony socket, tapping it into place. Eventually, the bone in the socket grows onto the rough surface on the back of the cup to hold it in place. The cup inserter is removed, and the surgeon will use a screw to hold the cup in place until the bone heals to the back side of the cup. A drill bit creates a small pilot hole, and the screw is inserted until it is nice and tight.

Once the metal cup is in, the surgeon will insert the plastic liner into the cup. This helps keep the new metal ball from rubbing on the metal socket, allowing smooth motion of the joint. Now, the socket side is finished. Next, the surgeon has to make room in the thigh bone for the new stem and ball. A starting reamer is used to make a tunnel in the shaft of the bone. Then broaches are used. These make a space in the bone that is the exact size and shape of the final metal stem that will be placed.

When the correct size broach fits, it is left in the bone, and a temporary metal neck and plastic ball are placed. The surgeon rotates the leg to put the ball back in the socket. Range of motion is checked to make sure everything fits, and the leg can move freely. The surgeon will move the leg back so that the temporary ball, neck, and stem can all be taken out. The final stem that has the neck built-in is inserted and tapped into place. Some surgeons may use a special bone cement first to help hold the stem in place.

Finally, the surgeon will place the new ball on top of the neck. Once again, the leg is rotated to place the ball in the socket, and the surgeon will double-check the motion of the hip. Here is one final look at the hip replacement. All of the soft tissue and skin are closed with stitches, and the patient heads to the recovery room.