Preparation
The hip surgery process begins well before the actual surgical procedure. Physicians must first evaluate the situation. This typically involves determining the proper surgical method to be utilized based on the condition of the patient's hip bones. It is, after all, these same hip bones that will be either removed, grafted, or shaped during the surgery. The doctors may decide that you need more than one surgery. Based on these observations, too, doctors determine the appropriate size for the needed prosthesis, or artificial hip joint.
Anesthesia
The first step when it comes to the actual hip surgery procedure, however, is setting up an IV. Fluids and medicine necessary for the surgery are administered this way. One important element that is delivered to the patient via the IV is anesthesia. At this point, other tubes or wires may also be hooked to the patient as well. These additional tubes and wires will help the patient breathe while the surgery is in process, help to drain excess fluids and generally monitor the patient's core bodily functions.
Sterilization
Special sterilizing soap is then administered to the hip area. This soap is designed to kill any and all germs. It is scrubbed vigorously into the skin to sterilize the area in preparation for opening the skin up.
Inserting the Prosthesis
The skin is then opened up and the surgeons use metal tools to literally cut off diseased sections of the hip bone. The head of the femur is reshaped to fit the prosthesis--a two-part metal artificial hip joint made up of a metal cup plus a metal ball and stick. The cup is then placed against the bone. The outside surface of the cup is roughened (not smooth) to facilitate natural bone fusion with the cup itself. The second part of the prosthesis--the ball and stick--fits into the cup, with the stick inserted into the bone of the femur. The skin is then closed up and sealed. The entire procedure typically lasts several hours.
Tags: artificial joint, skin then, surgery process, tubes wires