Hip

At Edward-Elmhurst Health, it’s our goal to help patients have less pain and better mobility, to heal faster and return to an active life sooner. Most people who need a hip replacement have significant joint pain that affects the quality of their lives. Our Orthopedic Centers bring you expert, patient-centered care to resolve your hip issues and get you back to the activities you enjoy sooner.

Innovative treatment options for hip issues

Before a hip replacement, physicians often recommend non-surgical therapies first. Our orthopedic team will use physical therapy, a weight loss program if appropriate, medications, injections or other non-surgical therapies to resolve your hip pain.

If non-surgical treatments aren’t successful and symptoms persist, hip surgery may be the right option for you. Our experienced orthopedic surgeons use the latest techniques and procedures to relieve pain and get you moving again, including:

• Hip arthroscopy – to diagnose and treat a wide range of hip problems. This technology allows our doctors to view the hip joint without making a large incision.
• Total hip replacement, hip resurfacing, anterior hip replacement
• Hip fracture repair – to repair a break in the upper quarter of the thigh bone

Who are candidates for a hip replacement?

An elective procedure, a hip replacement is not necessarily appropriate for almost every patient. Most people who get a hip replacement have significant hip pain that interferes with daily activities, and other treatments haven’t helped. The pain may be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, osteonecrosis, or some other condition.

How has hip replacement advanced?

Surgeons have learned what works and what doesn’t to enhance recovery and quality of life after hip replacement surgery. Historically, surgeons made long incisions. Today, our surgeons use modified techniques to preserve the muscle as much as possible. We also incorporate rapid mobilization techniques and advanced pain relief options to get you up and walking sooner.

What is involved in a hip replacement procedure?

Before your hip replacement, you’ll meet with your orthopedic surgeon so you know exactly what to expect from the surgery. During the procedure, your surgeon will remove the diseased parts of the hip joint and replace them with new parts usually made of metal and hard plastic. This artificial joint, called the prosthesis, helps ease pain and improve function.

The joint replacement prosthesis typically lasts 15-20 years before it begins to break down. If that happens, you may require a hip revision, during which the prosthesis would be removed and replaced.

In addition to traditional hip replacement, our surgeons perform minimally-invasive anterior hip replacement surgery. With this technique, your surgeon makes a small incision on the front of the leg and works between your muscles instead of cutting or detaching them. This is designed to reduce pain and recovery time.

Hip resurfacing is a type of hip replacement. Instead of removing the femoral head, it is trimmed and capped with metal. Your surgeon also removes any diseased bone and cartilage in the hip socket and replaces it with a metal shell (as in a traditional hip replacement). Hip resurfacing isn’t for everyone. The best candidate for hip resurfacing is a middle-aged person with strong bones.

What is the recovery like for a hip replacement?

There are generally temporary restrictions after a hip replacement procedure, as well as precautions to ensure you heal properly so you can get back to your daily activities.

Most patients go home within 1-2 days following hip surgery thanks in part to our progressive program, which has you up and walking around a few hours after surgery, getting dressed and sitting up for your meals. Some patients go home the same day (see same-day hip replacement), others go home the next day or a few days later.

Once home, recovery can last anywhere from two weeks to 4-6 weeks. Much of recovery depends on your motivation and if you have any other co-occurring medical conditions. Most patients feel good pain relief after surgery.

Our orthopedic team will work closely with you to get you up and walking as soon as possible. Your orthopedic surgeon, anesthesiologist, internal medicine physician and physical therapist will all work together to help you heal comfortably and quickly. 

Read Alan Jirik's story. One month after a less invasive hip replacement technique, Jirik was able to return to work and play golf again. He told his surgeon, "You truly gave me back my life."

Learn more about orthopedic rehabilitation at Edward-Elmhurst Health.

Same-day hip replacement

Wouldn’t you prefer to go home right after surgery if you could? For some patients who meet specific criteria, we offer same-day hip replacement surgery.

For the same-day procedure to be successful, our surgeons use a combination of newer, less invasive techniques, advancements in anesthesia, and advanced pain control options. The benefits of same-day hip replacement are being able to recuperate in the comfort of home, and hopefully enjoy a faster, less painful recovery in which you are up and walking sooner.

To determine if you are eligible for same-day hip replacement surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will carefully consider your health status and any risk factors or chronic health issues, such as obesity, diabetes or cardiac problems.

Those patients who are healthy and in good physical condition are typically considered as candidates for same-day hip replacement surgery.

Read our blog about a hip replacement patient who walks out of Elmhurst Hospital hours after surgery.

Why choose us for your hip replacement procedure?

Our Orthopedic Centers offer the latest advancements for diagnosing and treating the simplest to the most complex hip issues. Edward-Elmhurst Health is ranked 7th in Illinois among all health systems for total joint replacement (IHA COMPdata, 2019).

Many of our physicians are fellowship trained with years of experience in performing innovative, specialized hip replacement procedures.

Our orthopedic team will work closely with you to provide comprehensive, personalized care to resolve your hip issues. The goal is to get you out of bed and back on your feet faster so you can get back to life, free from pain.

Orthopedics locations