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Treatment in detailRevision hip replacement — redoing a failed hip
Loosening, wear, repeated dislocation, infection or fracture around the implant — hip replacements can fail in defined ways, and each has a defined reconstruction. This practice combines revision arthroplasty with pelvi-acetabular expertise: the full toolkit for the damaged hip.
Why hip replacements fail
Aseptic loosening and wear lead the list over the long term — the bearing wears, particles inflame the bone, fixation fails. Instability (recurrent dislocation), infection, periprosthetic fracture after a fall, and reactions around certain metal-on-metal bearings complete it. Pinpointing the mechanism on X-rays, CT and blood work is the first operation-determining step.
What revision involves
Safe removal of the old components — sometimes the hardest part — followed by reconstruction matched to what remains: modular stems anchoring beyond damaged femoral bone; porous cups, augments or cup-cage constructs rebuilding the socket; dual mobility or constrained liners where dislocation was the enemy. Severe socket destruction overlaps directly with pelvi-acetabular reconstruction — a core specialty here — which is precisely the combination complex revisions demand.
Infection: the separate pathway
An infected hip replacement follows its own protocol — organism identification, then single-stage or two-stage revision with targeted antibiotics, chosen on the infection's duration and your health. Declaring an infected hip 'unfixable' is rarely accurate; it is demanding, staged work with an established playbook.
Expectations, stated plainly
The realistic goal: a stable, pain-relieved hip and independent walking. Most revision patients get there. Recovery runs slower than a primary hip and is planned individually around what was rebuilt — you will know your specific plan, and its reasoning, before surgery.
What are the signs of a failing hip replacement?
New groin, thigh or buttock pain in a previously comfortable hip; a limp; the leg feeling short or rotated; clicking or squeaking; repeated dislocations; or fever and discharge suggesting infection. Any of these warrants X-rays and evaluation rather than watchful waiting.
My hip replacement keeps dislocating. Can that be fixed?
Yes — recurrent dislocation is one of the most correctable failure modes. Depending on the cause, revision may reposition components, restore soft-tissue tension, or use a dual mobility or constrained implant designed specifically to resist dislocation.
Is revision hip surgery riskier than the first operation?
It is more complex: scarred tissue, bone loss and old implants to remove safely. In experienced hands the risks are managed with planning — CT assessment, the right extraction instruments and revision implants ready before the first incision. Complexity is an argument for the right surgeon, not against surgery.
How is lost bone rebuilt?
With modular revision stems that bypass damaged bone, porous metal cups and augments for socket defects, and bone grafting where biology allows. In severe pelvic bone loss, cup-cage or custom constructs reconstruct the socket — the same skill set as this practice's pelvi-acetabular trauma work.
How long is the hospital stay and recovery?
Usually 3–6 days depending on the reconstruction's extent. Walking begins early with protected weight-bearing tailored to what was rebuilt; overall recovery runs slower than a primary hip, on an individualised timeline.
The hip was replaced many years ago in another city. What records do I need?
Ideally: the original discharge summary and implant stickers (they identify the exact components), all X-rays old and new, and recent blood reports. Missing records are common and not a barrier — implants can be identified from X-rays in most cases.
A hip implant causing trouble?
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