Hip replacement is usually considered once other therapies, such as pain medications, have failed. Most people undergo hip replacement as a result of osteoarthritis of the hip joint. But you might also consider hip replacement if you experience severe pain, loss of motion or deformity of your hip joint. Hip replacement is also used in people with hip injuries, rheumatoid arthritis and other medical conditions, such as a bone tumor or bone loss due to insufficient blood supply (avascular necrosis).

You might want to ask your doctor about the possibility of hip replacement if you frequently experience any of the following:

• Pain that keeps you awake at night
• Little or no relief from pain medications
• Difficulty walking up or down stairs
• Trouble standing from a seated position
• Having to quit activities you enjoy, such as walking, because you're in too much pain

Hip replacement used to be an option primarily for adults age 60 and above. But improved technology has made strong and longer-lasting artificial joints that are feasible for more active people, including younger people. However, active people face the possibility of another surgery to replace worn out artificial hip joints after 15 or 20 years.

A traditional Hip joint replacement costs about US$ 5,900 to US$ 7300 in India whereas in the UK, a similar surgery using the same implants and medical consumables costs around GB Sterling 9,000 to 13,000 pounds and in USA around US$ 16,000 to US$ 18,000.

Landmark INNOVATION in Hip Joint arthritis treatment ~ Hip Resurfacing Surgery – a far superior alternative to Hip Replacement. Arthritis of the hip joint is a common problem in India and the Western world.

A striking advance has been made in the field of surgery for Hip Arthritis. “Don't get a Hip Replacement, just reline or resurface your arthritic hip!” it is called Birmingham Hip Resurfacing technique with Implant . This is what hundreds of satisfied Hip resurfacing patients are now urging other arthritis patients to do.

What do you do if you need a new hip but you cannot face the daunting prospect of a conventional total hip replacement (THR)? The answer lies in a revolutionary surgery to reline the arthritic hip joint called Hip Resurfacing (BHR or ASR). A similar procedure can also be done on the Shoulder.

Patients who have undergone this pioneering Hip Resurfacing operation are able to walk as much as 5 miles a day, as early as 6 weeks after the operation. They can jog, swim, dance, run and even play high-impact sports, and the resurfaced hip does not dislocate or slip out of joint! Patients are also able to sit cross-legged or squat on the floor and can even use an Indian toilet after this surgery.

This Hip Resurfacing procedure was pioneered by one of the world's leading hip surgeons Dr Derek McMinn in Birmingham, U.K. and has given a fresh breath of life to hundreds of people in several parts of the world. Both Dr. Vijay C. Bose as well as Dr. Ameet Pispati are first persons who have learned the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing technique under Dr. Derek McMinn.

Comparative cost of Birmingham Hip Resurfacing surgery;

 In USA a Hip Resurfacing costs US$ 26,000 (which not yet FDA approved) !
 In UK a similar Hip Resurfacing Costs GB Pound Sterling 10,000 to 14,000
 In Belgium a Hip Resurfacing Costs US$ 14,000

Whereas in India similar Hip Resurfacing procedure with implants, single room for patient stay at the hospital and all inclusive procedure costs some where around US$ 7,900 - US$ 8,700 with 10 - 15 days stay at the Hospital.

Please read the Joint Replacement FAQ's section which probably answers most of your Joint replacement questions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Knee replacement: Surgery can relieve pain

Knee replacement surgery — also known as total knee arthroplasty (ARTH-ro-plas-tee) — can help relieve pain and restore function in severely diseased knee joints. During knee replacement, a surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your thighbone, shinbone and kneecap and replaces it with an artificial joint (prosthesis) made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers.

In the 1950s, the first artificial knees were little more than crude hinges. Now that more than 300,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed each year, you and your doctor can choose from a wide variety of designs that take into account your age, weight, activity level and overall health. Most knee replacement joints attempt to replicate your knee's natural ability to roll and glide as it bends.

Who is knee replacement for?

Knee replacement can improve knee problems associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other degenerative conditions, such as avascular necrosis — a condition in which obstructed blood flow causes your bone tissue to die.

Knee replacement may help you if:

• You have pain that limits activities such as walking, climbing stairs and getting in and out of chairs, or you experience moderate or severe knee pain at rest.
• You have limited function or mobility, such as chronic knee stiffness and swelling that prevent you from bending and straightening your knee.
• You've tried other methods to improve symptoms, for example resting, weight loss, physical therapy, medications, braces and surgery, but they've failed.
• You have a knee deformity, such as a joint that bows in or out.
• You're age 55 or older. Knee replacement is typically performed in older adults, but it may be considered for adults of all ages. Young, physically active people are more likely to wear out their new knee prematurely. For those people, a doctor may recommend a nonsurgical treatment program or suggest an alternative surgery such as arthroscopy, leg straightening (osteotomy), or a partial knee replacement, which replaces fewer components than total knee replacement.
• You're generally healthy. Good candidates for knee replacement are typically healthy, without conditions such as restricted blood flow, diabetes, or infections that can complicate surgery and recovery. Obesity alone won't disqualify you from surgery, but it may slow healing and increase your risk of infection after surgery.

Some recommended Joint Replacement Surgery Centers
in India:

MIOT Hospitals, Chennai (located in South of India)
The Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT), had its genesis as an independent wing of Vijaya Hospital, where Padmashree Prof. Dr. P. V. A. Mohandas and his team performed many a surgical impossibility in the field of Orthopaedics. Subsequently, his international travel exposed him to the highly impressive standards of hygiene and competence of medical services in the West He grew obsessed with an overpowering desire to provide similar standards of professional health care in India. He left no stone unturned, no expense spared until in February 1999 MIOT opened its doors to the public. Thus, the seed of desire sown with dedication and nurtured with concerted effort, sprouted and now stands before us as the imposing structure of MIOT - the virtual brainchild of Dr. Mohandas.

Computer Navigated Surgery
The Department of Orthopaedics at MIOT was the first to practice Computer Navigated Joint Replacement Surgery in the Asia - Pacific region. In this type of surgery, the computer monitors every step of he surgeon, ensuring a zero error performance. Just as every person's fingerprint is different, every person's anatomical knee axis too is different. Through a camera attached to the computer, the shape and movement of the patient's hip, knee and ankle are registered in 3 dimensions. This helps us fine-tune the surgical instruments and cutting jigs to zero error before the bone is cut. The computer also reveal the accuracy of the cut. Once the cut is perfect the knee is 'balanced'. The computer shows all the important data before implanting the components of the knee. It shows the alignment, flexibility, extension gap etc. At the end of the operation the procedure can be stored on a CD.
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+ An average of 1200 in OPD attendance a month.
+ An average of 160 surgeries a month.
+ Routine major surgeries of joint replacements, spine surgeries, interlocking nailing, arthroscopic surgeries.
+ 2 well equipped operation theatres with laminar air flow, c-arm, arthroscopes.
A theatre exclusively to perform joint replacement surgeries.
+ Latest Orthopaedic instruments in the world, quality implants of the highest international standard.
+ 350 total knee replacements, 250 total hip replacements, 1500 interlocking nailing, 1000 Arthroscopy procedures and 200 spinal instrumentation procedures.