Hip Pain and Hip Replacement Surgery

We specialize in diagnosing and treating a wide range of hip conditions, including:

• Arthritis: This includes osteoarthritis (the most common wear-and-tear type), rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis and post-traumatic arthritis.

• Osteonecrosis: Also known as avascular necrosis, this is the death of bone tissue due to reduced blood flow.

• Congenital hip dislocation: A condition present at birth in which the hip joint is out of place.

• Leg malalignment: Misalignment of the leg that can lead to joint pain, limited range of motion and uneven leg length.

• Hip injuries, fractures and tumors: Trauma or bone tumors that result in the deterioration of the hip joint.

At Ochsner Health, our orthopedic specialists offer a full range of hip pain treatment options to help you move comfortably again. Before considering hip replacement surgery, our team may recommend noninvasive treatments such as physical therapy, medications or corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.

If conservative treatments are not effective, we offer all major surgical approaches for total hip replacement, including anterior (front), posterior (back) and lateral (side) techniques. During hip replacement surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged hip joint and replace it with a durable artificial implant.

Ochsner was one of the first hospitals in Southeast Louisiana to use the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System for joint replacement. This advanced technology allows our surgeons to pre-plan your procedure and accurately position the artificial joint, improving alignment and outcomes with approximately 99 percent accuracy.

In addition to total hip replacement, we also offer minimally invasive hip resurfacing. This is an option ideal for younger, active patients with hip arthritis. This bone-preserving procedure involves capping the femoral head (the top of the thigh bone) with a metal prosthesis instead of removing it entirely.

Most patients begin physical therapy on the same day as their hip replacement surgery, which helps prevent blood clots and promotes faster recovery.

Before your total joint replacement surgery, you’ll attend a comprehensive education class to help prepare for your procedure and recovery. This two-hour seminar is led by a team of specialists, including a physical therapist, occupational therapist, nurse and social worker, who will guide you and your family through what to expect.

The class covers every stage of your joint replacement journey including care before surgery, what happens during the procedure and steps for recovery after surgery. You’ll also meet members of the care team who will support you throughout your hip or knee replacement experience.

Topics covered include:

• Discharge planning
• Family training
• Home health
• Nursing care
• Pain management
• Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and therapy and wellness
• Self-care education
• Total hip replacement education

The risk for arthritis and injuries to joints increases as people age. If you have hip pain that is keeping you from completing daily activities (such as climbing stairs, walking the dog or grocery shopping) or preventing you from living your life, and medication and more conservative treatments just aren’t helping, you might be a candidate for hip replacement, also called hip arthroplasty.

While every person is different, you will likely feel pain in your hip region, which consists of your groin, buttock, upper leg and lower back.