How Long Does Hip Replacement Surgery Take? Common Questions from Pittsburgh Patients

Many people in the Pittsburgh area are facing the prospect of hip replacement surgery. Whether their chronic hip pain is a result of injury or a degenerative disease, the result is still the same: pain, difficulty walking and a diminished quality of life. If you are considering a hip replacement, you’ll probably find yourself asking how long does a hip replacement surgery take?

This is a quick overview of how long you can expect to stay in the hospital, deal with recovery, and other options that are available to you:

Before the Surgery

Hip replacement should not be taken lightly. Before agreeing to surgery, most doctors suggest physical therapy to see if your pain can be resolved through a series of special exercises or time spent at rest. You might expect to spend a couple weeks up to several months in PT before surgery is scheduled.

During the Surgery

Expect to spend 1-4 hours in the operating room, depending on the extent of surgery needed, whether a partial or full replacement is required, and taking into consideration any extenuating medical concerns that may increase surgery time.

During the surgery, the damaged joint is removed and replaced with an artificial metal and plastic joint. The new joint is attached to the existing bone with a cement adhesive and often a drainage tube is put in place to reduce fluid buildup.

After the Surgery

On average, 4-6 days are spent in the hospital recovering from surgery. Specialized physical therapy will often begin as soon as the next day and you will likely be up and walking with assistance soon after.
Physical therapy will be continued for a few weeks up to several months after the surgery. Furthermore, special care must be taken when making certain movements for up the whole following year to avoid dislocating the hip.

Don’t Have the Time? Consider Advanced Regenerative Medicine

No matter how well the surgery goes, hip replacement will result in a significant amount of time away from your job, family, fitness routine, and other enjoyable parts of life. The good news is that stem cell therapy can help repair and your hip without the burden of healing time.

So, what’s the answer to the question of how long does hip replacement surgery take? From surgery day to full recovery, the process can take well over a year. If you don’t have the time to take off work and put your busy life on the backburner, contact Advanced Regenerative Medicine of Pittsburgh to discuss alternatives to hip replacement surgery.