Hip TEP
Valeria Dahm is a freelance writer in the medical department. She studied medicine at the Technical University of Munich. It is particularly important to her to give the curious reader an insight into the exciting subject area of medicine and at the same time to maintain the content.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.The hip TEP consists of a kind of shell and a shaft with a ball head and replaces the hip joint - a so-called ball joint. The joint head of the thigh is located in the joint socket of the hip. Both joint partners are covered with cartilage, which, together with the synovial fluid, ensures friction-free movements.
What is a hip replacement?
A hip replacement (total endoprosthesis) is an artificial hip joint. In contrast to other hip prostheses, the hip replacement completely replaces the hip joint.
When do you do a hip replacement?
The most common cause of hip replacement is wear and tear of the hip joint (coxarthrosis). The cartilage on the joint head and socket wears out. A poor fit and increased friction ultimately lead to pain and loss of mobility. The reasons for this are age, overload, misalignment or inflammation. A hip replacement surgery is also implanted for rheumatic-inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or broken bones (fractures). In 2011, around 214,000 people in Germany received a new hip. Artificial hip joints are thus the most commonly implanted endoprostheses.
What do you do with a hip replacement?
To prepare for hip replacement surgery, x-rays, computed tomography or magnetic resonance tomography are made. On this basis, the surgeon selects the correct hip prosthesis and determines the subsequent position of the prosthesis.
The hip replacement surgery is implanted under either general or partial anesthesia (spinal anesthesia). The surgeon first removes the femoral head and prepares the femur and the socket of the hip bone for the hip replacement surgery. The new joint shell is anchored in the hip bone and the shaft with the joint ball in the thigh bone. After the surgeon has checked the movement and tight fit of the hip replacement device, he sutures the tissue and skin.
What are the risks of a hip replacement?
Like any operation, the implantation of a hip replacement involves complications. In addition to the general risks such as infections, blood clots, nerve or tissue damage or high blood loss, a new hip joint can lead to pain due to new bone formation (ossification), adhesions and calcifications. In addition, the hip TEP can dislocate (dislocation) or loosen prematurely.
What do I have to consider after a hip replacement?
The day after the operation, an artificial hip joint is mobilized by a physiotherapist. With the help of special exercises, the muscles are built up and mobility is improved. After two weeks, you will learn in an inpatient rehabilitation clinic or on an outpatient basis how to behave in a way that is as gentle on the joints as possible in everyday life. This includes weight control and sports that are gentle on the joints. Your hip replacement surgery will be checked at regular follow-up examinations.
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