TP HCMMr. Dong, 52 years old, has had ankylosing spondylitis of the hip since he was a child. It gradually got worse, his legs were 4 cm apart and he limped. Now he has an artificial hip replacement and can walk normally.
“If I knew the surgery was simple and recovery was quick, I would have had the surgery 10 years ago,” Mr. Dong said on April 24 when discharged from the hospital.
Mr. Dong has had hip ankylosing spondylitis since he was 9 years old, has pain and stiffness in his joints, and is unable to run, jump, or do heavy work. He treated with many drugs but only relieved the pain. The right hip joint became increasingly stiff, adhesive inflammation developed, causing deformity of the acetabulum and femoral head, collapse of the femoral head, and narrowing of the joint space, so the right leg became shorter. Go.
At the General Orthopedics Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, MRI results showed that Mr. Dong’s legs were nearly 4 cm apart, with severe right hip osteoarthritis due to adhesive inflammation that had lasted for many years. . Pelvic tilt to one side, scoliosis, muscle atrophy, back pain, knee pain.
Doctor Hoc (middle) and his team perform joint replacement surgery for a patient. Image: Tam Anh General Hospital
MSc.BSc.CKI Dang Khoa Khoa, Head of the Department of Trauma and Orthopedics, prescribed a right artificial hip replacement for the patient using the SuperPATH incision. This is a minimally invasive hip replacement technique that preserves soft parts such as tissue, muscle, joint capsule…
Before surgery, the doctor uses specialized TraumaCad software to measure and find an artificial joint with the right size and shape for the patient’s body. Thanks to that, the surgery took place quickly, the length of the legs was balanced, and the limping problem was resolved. About 6-12 hours after surgery, patients can begin rehabilitation, much faster than traditional surgical methods.
According to Dr. Hoc, for patients with hip replacement, especially those with gait deformities like Mr. Dong, rehabilitation is very important. Exercise helps gradually restore gait, improve abduction strength, reduce the risk of dislocation after surgery, increase joint range of motion… Patients can perform difficult movements such as going up and down stairs, sitting squat, play sports. Early functional training helps avoid the risk of thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and complications caused by long-term immobility.
On the third day after surgery, Mr. Dong no longer had pain, walked easily, felt that his legs were the same length, and was ready to leave the hospital.
Length of the patient’s legs before (left) and after surgery. Photoh: Tam Anh General Hospital
Doctor Hoc said that when treating any disease, the top priority is always preserving the patient’s natural body parts. When necessary, doctors prescribe surgery.
“Hip joint replacement is a major surgery,” Dr. Hoc said, adding that thanks to modern medical technology and small incisions, post-operative patients have less pain, less blood loss and can walk quickly. Using an artificial hip joint helps resolve disease symptoms, avoid affecting other organs of the body, especially the spine and knee joints, thereby improving the patient’s quality of life.