Osteoarthritis of the Hip
Also known as:
Degenerative Joint Disease
What is it?
Arthritis is an inflammation of
a joint causing pain, swelling, stiffness,
instability and often deformity. Osteoarthritis is
the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis
is also known as "wear and tear
arthritis" since the cartilage simply wears
out. When cartilage wears away, bone rubs on
bone, causing severe pain and disability.
The femur and femoral head, or
hip joint, is a ball and socket joint that acts
much like a ball bearing, allowing you to turn in
different directions while supporting the body.
At the upper end of your femur (thigh bone) is a
ball which fits into a socket. Cartilage (a layer
of smooth soft tissue) covers the ball and lines
the socket, and allows the ball to move around
easily in the socket.
Who gets it?
The most frequent reason for
osteoarthritis is genetic; therefore, if your
parents have arthritis, you have a potential of
developing it.
Osteoarthritis can also be
trauma-related. A person can take a bad fall or
sustain a blow to the hip which can breaks the
femur/femoral head. If the bone does not heal
properly, the joint may slowly wear down, and
osteoarthritis may develop.
What are the symptoms?
Pain is the most frequent symptom
for patients with hip arthritis. The pain is
usually described as being in the groin,
buttocks, thigh or occasionally the knee. The
pain is frequently associated with activity and
relieved by rest. It may occur at night and, in
severe cases, prevent sleep. Patients also
complain of stiffness and often limp when they
walk.
Diagnosis
Your doctor diagnoses
osteoarthritis by performing a complete physical
examination, and will ask you about your past
medical history, including health problems,
medication history, and family history. As with
any other diseases, early diagnosis increases the
chances of treatment success. Your doctor will
also obtain an x-ray to assess the condition of
your hip.
Treatment
Non-surgical (conservative)
treatment is effective in the early stages of
arthritis. Conservative treatment may include the
following: weight loss, activity
modification/limitation, anti-inflammatory
medication (NSAIDs) or cortisone injections.
Surgical treatment includes
arthrodesis (fusion or fixation) or arthroplasty
(total hip replacement).
In arthrodesis, a patient’s hip
is repaired using a combination of
fusion/fixation with screws in which the surgeon
prepares the femur to bond/heal directly to the
pelvis to make the hip stiff but pain-free. This
allows the patient to weight-bear and walk
better. In patients who underwent arthrodesis at
a relatively young age, 80% reported that they
were working and were satisfied with the results
20 years after surgery.
Arthroplasty entails replacing
the hip joint with an artificial femoral head or
part of the femur with an artificial stem. The
surgeon may, however, determine that the patient
only needs replacement of the femoral head with
an endoprosthesis (ball). A total hip replacement
appears to provide the best results, and leads to
complete or nearly complete relief of pain and
relatively normal function in 90-95% of patients.
With modern surgical techniques and devices,
these artificial hips should continue to function
for at least 10 to 15 years in the majority of
patients.
Physician's Who Treat Osteoarthritis of the
Hip
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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