Hip Replacement Procedures

The hip joint is one of the body's largest weight-bearing joints and is the point where the thigh bone (femur) and the pelvis (acetabulum) join. The smooth movement of the joint is facilitated by smooth articular cartilage that lines the bone ends. Damage to this cartilage can lead to hip arthritis. Hip replacement surgery is an option to relieve severe arthritis pain by replacing the damaged cartilage with a prosthesis. This procedure can be performed through either anterior or posterior approaches with excellent long term results. Improved surgical techniques and methods of anaesthetic, pain relief, and rehabilitation also mean that that recovery can be achieved more quickly and with less pain than in the past. Dr Bauze performs hip replacement surgery at Sportsmed, Calvary North Adelaide and Calvary Wakefield Hospitals.

Blog: Why I Prefer The Minimally Invasive Posterior Approach for Hip Replacement Surgery

Over the years, techniques for hip replacement surgery have evolved to minimize tissue trauma and enhance patient outcomes. The longer incisions and prolonged hospital stay of previous decades have given way to smaller incisions and rapid mobilisation. The minimally invasive posterior approach is part of this evolution. It is now my preferred technique and in my view has distinct advantages compared to other approaches.

Less Pain and Faster Recovery after ACL Reconstruction

Over the last two years I have introduced an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathway for hip replacement surgery at Sportsmed Hospital. This is a patient focused evidence-based team approach to hip replacement surgery that speeds up recovery and reduces pain and complications. Every aspect of patient care has been carefully evaluated and the patient is involved as an active participant in the process.

Independent audit shows low infection rate for joint replacements at Sportsmed

An independent audit by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry has confirmed that Sportsmed has an extremely low revision surgery rate for infection of joint replacements compared to the national average of all other hospitals. The audit covered 19223 joint replacement procedures performed at Sportsmed over 20 years from January 1999 to February 2019.

Hip and Knee Replacements – What Really Matters?

For most patients the key question when having a hip or knee replacement is "How long will it last?"

It is now easy for Australian surgeons to answer this question thanks to the long term data on revision rates recorded by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR). A revision is when an operation is performed to change one or more joint replacement components due to complications or other issues with the joint. The latest report shows that the average revision rate of hip and knee replacements at 10 years is approximately 5-10%. There is however a lot of variation depending on the implant used and the surgeon.

As a surgeon experienced with both anterior and posterior hip replacement surgery I get asked every week which approach is better. The answer is not as simple as you might think.

Is Robotic Joint Replacement Surgery Safe?

Robot technology in hip and knee replacement surgery has created a lot of interest in Adelaide this year. There are two types of systems available or in development - large robotic arms that position the cutting tool for the surgeon and smaller hand held instruments that the surgeon positions while the robot retracts the cutting tool if it is in the wrong place.

Clinical Outcomes

Joint Replacement Revision Rates:

Revision Rate	Dr Bauze	National Average
Total Knee Replacement at 8 years	1.6%	4.5%
Total Hip Replacement at 8 years	4.1%	4.4%

How Much Does Hip Replacement Surgery Cost?

Out of pocket expenses for Hip Replacement Surgery vary by thousands of dollars depending on your choice of surgeon and where you have surgery. There is no evidence that higher costs result in better outcomes for patients. It pays to shop around. I have always made sure that the my fees are reasonable and transparent. As a result I frequently treat patients from South Australia as well as those travelling from interstate and overseas who have done their research on pricing and quality.

Total Hip Replacement (THR)

Total hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the damaged cartilage and bone is removed from the hip joint and replaced with artificial components.

Minimally Invasive Total Hip Replacement

The hip joint is one of the body's largest weight-bearing joints and is the point where the thigh bone (femur) and the pelvis (acetabulum) join. It is a ball and socket joint in which the head of the femur is the ball and the pelvic acetabulum forms the socket.

Hip Resurfacing

The hip joint is also known as a ball and socket joint, where the ball (femoral head) of the thigh bone fits into the socket (acetabulum) of the pelvis bone.

Revision Hip Replacement

Revision hip replacement surgery is performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, your surgeon will make an incision over the hip to expose the hip joint.