Symptoms of hip joint inflammation, degeneration, and hip joint pain often occur with age. When reaching the age of 60 and above, these problems usually arise depending on each individual’s lifestyle and genetics related to bones. As age increases, bone and joint degeneration also increases, especially in cases of congenital hip deformities, avascular necrosis of the hip, accidents, certain medications such as steroids, and alcohol consumption. Most patients experience pain around the hip joint. Some suffer from chronic pain to the extent that they cannot stand or walk and perform daily activities. Treatment approaches vary depending on the symptoms of each individual, including medication, physical therapy, injections, or even hip replacement surgery. However, most patients fear surgery due to old age, fear of pain, fear of anesthesia, and fear of post-surgical pain, causing them to endure pain and be unable to walk. Some become bedridden patients until death.
Medical professionals have therefore developed a new approach to hip replacement surgery to minimize pain for patients, helping this group regain a better quality of life. This is considered a new hip replacement surgery technique that does not involve cutting muscles, with the following benefits for patients:
- Less pain because the surgery does not directly cut muscles or nerves.
- Smaller incisions due to the use of more precise intraoperative X-rays, allowing accurate determination of the surgical site and leg length on each side.
- Shorter hospital stays, only 2-3 days before patients can return home. Traditional surgery requires 4-5 days, but this new technique allows faster recovery, with some patients able to stand and walk within hours after surgery.
- Less blood loss during surgery.
- Ability to hide the surgical scar.
- Ability to operate on both sides in a single surgery.
- The new muscle-sparing hip replacement surgery (Direct Anterior Approach Total Hip Replacement) involves accessing the hip joint from the front (direct anterior approach) between the Tensor fascia lata and Sartorius muscles without cutting any muscles during surgery. The patient lies on their back during surgery, allowing precise placement of the prosthetic hip and assessment of leg length. The incision can also be hidden under the bikini line (Bikini incision).
This surgical method does not cut the muscles around the hip joint, preserving the muscles that help stabilize the prosthetic hip, reducing the risk of dislocation. This technique requires highly skilled surgeons with extensive training and experience. Surgery planning is done collaboratively with the patient to ensure maximum safety and to meet the patient’s needs effectively.
Postoperative care involves collaboration among doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and nutritionists who closely monitor the patient to ensure rapid recovery and good quality of life in all aspects, including proper physical therapy, personalized medication, appropriate nutrition for recovery and age, and rehabilitation medicine doctors who visit and plan rehabilitation to help patients return to normal life at home. With the continuously developed new surgical techniques at Phyathai 3 Hospital and comprehensive services, we aim for all our patients to return to a happy and good life, both for the patients and their families, because everyone is part of our family. My Family Phyathai 3 Hospital.
Dr. Weerawat Chantrattiyakan
Joint Replacement Surgery Institute, Phyathai 3 Hospital
