Total Hip Replacement Baltimore for Avascular Necrosis

Avascular necrosis is a condition that literally means bone tissue has died as a result of not having an adequate blood supply.  It can occur anywhere in the skeletal system of the body, including the hip.  Some mild to moderate cases of avascular necrosis that are in the early stages can be treated in a way that preserves the bone tissue in the hip, which includes the ball found on the head of the femur and the socket that is located in the pelvis.  More advanced cases may require a total hip replacement Baltimore.

Causes and Symptoms of Avascular Necrosis

Avascular necrosis has a number of different causes.  These include accidents and other kinds of trauma, excessive consumption of alcohol, long-term use of certain medications like corticosteroids, and as a result of various diseases.  Any event that limits the blood supply to the bone, particularly to the femoral head, is a possible cause.

Symptoms caused by avascular necrosis are variable depending upon the cause.  Hip pain, from mild to severe, is common.  Treatment depends upon the stage at which the disease is caught.  Avascular necrosis in the early stages may be treated without removing any of the existing structures of the hip joint.  If the diagnosis is not made until later, after the bone may have already collapsed, hip replacement surgery Baltimore may be indicated.

About Hip Replacement Surgery Baltimore MD

While replacement of the entire hip joint sounds like a major operation that would be really scary and painful, it is actually one the the most common surgeries performed with the most success every year in the United States.  Prosthetic hip joint replacements, that include both the ball and the socket part of the joint, have become so advanced that they are hardly noticed by the patient once they have been implanted for a while.

During the surgery, the doctor removes the diseased part of the femur and the pelvis and then implants the new ball piece in the long, hollow, part of the bone.  Likewise, a bit of the pelvis is removed and the socket portion of the new joint is placed there.  After recovery, the patient can sometimes do more activities than they could pre-surgery.