Total Hip Replacement Surgery

Potential Risks of Hip Replacement Surgery

The risk of the surgery in healthy individuals is low.

• The risk of infection is less than 1%. You will be given IV antibiotics during the surgery to help prevent any infection.
• The risk of nerve damage in your foot or ankle is less than 1%.
• The risk of blood clots is less than 1%. If you have no risk factors for a blood clot, after surgery, you will be placed on a baby aspirin twice a day for approximately 40 days. If you have a history of blood clots or are at high risk for one, you will be on a prescription blood thinner for 40 days after surgery.
• 10-15% of patients will develop a little dull or numb spot next to their scar. Sometimes this is permanent and sometimes it resolves. It usually doesn’t bother people, but we’d like for you to know about it ahead of time.
• The risk of fracture or dislocation, meaning that the ball pops out of the socket, is less than 1%.
• The risk of a leg length discrepancy is very low. We will take x-rays during surgery to try and ensure that the hips are the same length. Occasionally, patients can have other reasons for a leg length discrepancy. Some patients have scoliosis which causes the pelvis to tilt resulting in a leg length discrepancy, while others have one shin bone longer than another. If a leg length discrepancy occurs, it can usually be treated with a small shoe lift.
• The most common side effects of the surgery are some swelling and stiffness.

We will have you wear compression stockings immediately following surgery on both legs for approximately one month after surgery. This helps to prevent swelling, stiffness, and blood clots.