Things to remember
Total hip replacement can be very effective for the right patient, but it is important to understand what the operation can and cannot do.
Key points
- It is a symptomatic treatment
- Not everybody with arthritis will benefit
- Artificial joint is not a normal joint
Symptom-driven treatment
It is important to understand that total joint replacement is a symptomatic treatment of arthritis. That means it is indicated only if there are significant symptoms of arthritis (pain). Just because you may have hip arthritis does not automatically mean that you should have the hip replaced.
The operation will only benefit patients who have arthritis and symptoms that are significant.
An artificial joint can function very well but it is not the same as a normal healthy joint.