Although rare, it is possible for complications from hip replacement surgery to occur. Possibilities range from an infection to blood clots to a heart attack. People with diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, or kidney disease have a higher risk of developing complications. Your healthcare providers will do everything they can to prevent any hip replacement complications from occurring, but your overall health plays a role, too.
Complications From Hip Replacement: An Overview
Total
hip replacement has been performed safely for over 25 years, and many surgical advances have improved outcomes. However, as with any surgery, there are risks, both major and minor, that can occur.
Minor Hip Replacement Complications
Minor complications with
hip replacement surgery are temporary in most cases, and are often easily treated by your healthcare provider.
Minor complications can include:
- Infection
- Numbness around the incision
- Bleeding
- Urinary tract infection
- Abnormal or painful scar formation
- Allergic skin reaction to tape, dressing, or latex
- Nausea
- Vomiting.
Risk Factors for Major Hip Replacement Complications
There are also several possible major complications that can occur with hip replacement surgery.
These are uncommon; however, your overall health plays a role in your likelihood of developing them and how well you recover. For example, patients with severe heart, lung, or kidney disease or
diabetes may have a higher chance of developing hip replacement complications than would healthier patients.
Depending on the individual situation, a major complication may lead to a longer hospital stay, a blood transfusion, a repeat surgery (including replacement of the hip implant), or, in rare cases, permanent disability or even loss of life.
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