Hip surgery

When is a hip prosthesis fitted?

A hip prosthesis (artificial hip) is placed in the event of serious damage to the hip joint. The cause of this damage is usually arthritis or a rheumatic disease. This causes pain and impaired function. The damage can be seen on an X-ray of the hip and is confirmed by functional tests.

The hip joint consists of the head of the thigh bone that rotates smoothly in the socket of the pelvis. This smooth movement is made possible by a layer of cartilage at the head of the femur and in the socket of the pelvis. Cartilage is a smooth and springy tissue.
Wear and tear of the cartilage is called osteoarthritis. Such wear and tear is a normal aging process that occurs in everyone. In some people however, the wear and tear progress faster. Causes are abnormal load, an accident or malformation of the hip joint. There is certainly also an important hereditary factor. Wear and tear is not always due to a specific cause.

Wear and tear cause pain. If the pain can no longer be relieved by other means, a hip prosthesis will be suggested. In case of severe hip damage, both the ball of the hip and the socket are replaced (full prosthesis).

In some cases, we also place a prosthesis if the hip head breaks off. In this case it is not always necessary to replace the entire joint. Usually only the broken off head of the thighbone is replaced. We then speak of a half prosthesis or hemi prosthesis.

What does a hip prosthesis look like?

A hip prosthesis is an imitation of the normal hip. In the operation, the ball of the hip is removed and the remaining cartilage in the socket is milled out (see Illustration B).
Then the components of the new hip are inserted. The new socket is made of plastic and metal. Then a metal pin with a small head on top will be inserted into the thigh bone. This fits exactly into the plastic socket. This pin is also called the stem or voice.

There are different ways of securing the parts. Our orthopaedists usually clamp the metal socket into the original hip socket. This way, the bone grows into the prosthesis. This growth is achieved after about 6 weeks. Sometimes one or two screws are inserted to ensure extra firmness.

In the metal socket a plastic component is placed that is traditionally made of durable plastic.

The metal stem consists of titanium and can be placed in two ways:
The stem can be fixed in the thighbone with special cement (methyl methacrylate). Here, too, a firm anchoring must be achieved through the growth of bone; as mentioned earlier, this requires about six weeks. On the other hand, the metal stem can be clamped into the femur, without the use of cement. Whether cement is used or not depends on the quality of the bone and the age of the patient.

The lifespan of the hip prosthesis is on average between 15 and 20 years.

References

Ita, Ireland

“The care was unbelievable—no waiting lists, no being left on a trolley, no rushed appointments. The doctors took every precaution, the physio team was fantastic, and the hospital was immaculate. The staff knew me, remembered my case, and treated me like a person, not a number.”

David,

”The physio is intense—but unbelievable. Just a few days after surgery, I couldn’t believe how much progress I had made.”

Jan, 52 (Utrecht)

"I felt heard and understood from day one. Now I can go grocery shopping and hiking with my partner by myself again."

Henny, Fishermen - White

For all fellow sufferers, no matter how sad the circumstances are, when you visit the rehabilitation clinic in Moraira, you can learn a lot with the cooperation of this fantastic team of therapists, both physically and mentally!

Esther, Netherlands

From the first moment my wife Esther arrived in Spain until the very end, she received superb care. Both physically and mentally, they worked on Esther's recovery - and with success! We haven't regretted it for a moment and would truly recommend it to everyone!

Klaas Jan Hindriks - Foreign Correspondent NOS, Netherlands

Your organization and treatment center is not only distinguished by its medical knowledge, but above all by the dedication and inspiring support of the extremely experienced employees.

Bert, Huizingh

To everyone who contributed to my recovery: for that I am very grateful. The enthusiasm and passion for the profession are bursting forth. Added to that the personal attention and your eye for the circumstances from day to day make me feel I have to leave some friends behind. So hereby special thanks to Ana, José, Maria, Marjolein and to you for your guidance! Should it come to further (medical) treatment/rehabilitation of the deficiencies in my left foot that you have identified, I will certainly do my best to return under the wings of Medifit!

Janine , Vorstenbosch

What an amazing experience it was and it brought me a lot. 8 weeks of rehabilitation both physically and mentally. In the setting of a very nice care hotel, where I really lacked nothing. Where I could relax in addition to the daily exercise and training. A bonus was meeting fellow sufferers. Many beautiful conversations in the evening on the terrace.

Marianne, 45

"The team at Medifit is incredibly knowledgeable and warm. My balance and self-confidence have improved tremendously."

Nanda, The Netherlands

Really, what a fantastic rehabilitation center! Just got back 2.5 weeks after hip surgery. What a professional and lovely beautiful people! Highly recommended for anyone who gets "no" aftercare here, I recommend: go to Spain and Medifit ... health insurers reimburse this. Fantastic team!!

Chiel (Michael) & Aty , Visser-Dekker

Michael arrived in Moraira in a wheelchair and left with only a cane as a (temporary) support when walking. Far better than we had ever hoped for! Far better than we had ever hoped for!

Karin , Takes

Wauwww surely proud of myself but especially of all of you. The warm feeling when I think back I keep holding on to. Courage, strength, confidence and zest for life all fantastic gifts I was able to receive from your top team....

Chiel (Michael) & Aty Visser-Dekker, The Netherlands

Michael arrived in Moraira in a wheelchair and left with only a cane as a (temporary) support when walking. Far better than we had ever hoped for!

Margaret, Ireland

“The attention to detail is second to none. Everyone I met—from the drivers to the doctors to the physio team—was absolutely fantastic. They take care of you from start to finish.” “Recovery has been brilliant. Five days post-surgery, and I already feel stronger. The physio started immediately, and they guide you through every step. Even before I left the hospital, they had exercises planned for me. I never expected to feel this good so soon.”

Jos Jansen, The Netherlands

I trained intensively with the therapists for 8 weeks. As a result, I now have much more endurance. I also feel much better. The healthy air at the Costa Blanca has also helped significantly.

Sean,

“One of the best things about getting knee surgery in Spain is the Physio. I started a few days after surgery and had two physio sessions a day for five days. That level of care makes such a difference in recovery, and you’d really struggle to get that anywhere else. The fact that even the physio sessions are fully reimbursed makes it even better. Plus, the team are excellent, and their English is just as good as mine!”

Marije, Netherlands

At HCB Medifit, I knew from the first moment that I was in good hands, both literally and figuratively. What wonderful people. There is a lot of knowledge and expertise, but above all, genuine attention and careful coordination. For me, the other great strength of the PCS program lies in the combination of different treatments. What especially helped me in this was that all components were focused on both training and improving the physical aspect (namely the complaints I experience) as well as how I can deal with them.

Jego, Netherlands

Medifit, a rehabilitation center where you get the care you need. A great team, Anna, Gerard, Marjolein, Maria, Jef, and Monique. These people give you a boost of positive vitamins. I have made great progress, recommended for anyone who needs care. Thank you! Much love and health to all of you.

Frank Bierlee, Netherlands

On 09/11 I started the 8-week internal COPD Rehabilitation program at MedifitReha here in Spain. This was my last chance, I was no longer happy with this life. Everything due to the consequences of COPD. The gasping for breath, not being able to walk even 5 meters anymore, the lung attacks, and especially the gasping for breath. And it wasn't pleasant for those around me to see me like that either.

Ann, Ireland

“I was due to fly home after a week, but I extended my stay to get extra physio. The extra physio is reimbursed and the standard is second to none.”

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