The main reason for hip replacement is usually pain. This can be caused by a process of loosening or wear of the implants and, in some occasions, it can be secondary to an infectious process.
The main symptom is pain, which is an alarm signal that something is wrong. In addition, the type of pain, the onset and the form of presentation can help us in the final diagnosis and rule out or suspect an infected hip prosthesis as the origin of the same.
Operation of replacement of prosthesis
The intervention consists of the total or partial replacement of the hip prosthesis. In the case of wear or loosening without obvious infection, only the affected component is replaced, to avoid further damage. On the contrary, when an infection is suspected, all the components must be replaced, a spacer or cemented provisional prosthesis impregnated with antibiotics must be implanted, treated with intravenous antibiotics according to the antibiogram and, finally, the definitive prosthesis must be reimplanted when we are sure that the infection has been eradicated.
The prostheses for salvage or revision are slightly different from those used in primary surgery. This will depend on the quality of the bone and the type of anchorage chosen in the second option.