What Are the Symptoms of Hip Replacement Failure? 8 Signs to Recognize

In the last decade, hip replacement procedures have evolved to become a treatment of choice for many Americans suffering from arthritis and other conditions that limit their mobility and force them to live with chronic pain. Today, nearly half a million hip replacements are performed in the U.S. annually. Unfortunately, the procedure does not always go as planned. Negligence and mistakes during the operation, or the implantation of a defective artificial hip, can cause even worse pain and dysfunction than before and can even lead to fatal diseases.

A law firm with attorneys experienced in both medical malpractice and product liability involving defective medical devices can help you sort out what went wrong with your hip replacement and hold the responsible parties accountable to you for your pain and suffering and worsened medical condition. If you feel that your hip replacement operation has gone awry, it’s important to explore your options. Before you can do that, however, you need to assess your body to see if the pain you are feeling is in fact related to your hip replacement. Let’s take a look at some common signs that your hip replacement has failed.

Fever and Pain

The most common symptom that your hip replacement has failed is pain. While it’s expected that you will be sore following a surgery, prolonged pain even after the healing period has passed could be a signal that your operation was a failure. The pain might also be accompanied by a fever. Fevers are indicative of other ailments going on, including your body fighting off an infection.

Instability

Instability while standing or walking after having a hip replacement is another common indication that the operation may have failed. Hip replacements are done for a variety of reasons, but the lack of stability due to an injury is one of the main ones. If after a hip replacement, your stability issues have not been resolved or you encounter issues including popping sounds, inability to get up, and weakness, this might be cause for concern.

Infection

One of the main concerns with any operation is infection. Metallosis is a specific type of infection associated with metal-on-metal implants. The infection occurs when particles of metal are shed from the metal joints used in your operation. When high levels of toxic metals are released into the blood, it can result in a serious infection that damages your organs and nervous system. Other signs of an infection occurring include pain around the implant site, swelling, the buildup of fluid, drainage, and overall instability.

Reoccurring Hip Dislocation

Hip replacements replace or repair the stem, ball, and socket of your hip joints. When the ball attached to your thigh bone comes out of the socket of your pelvic bone, a hip dislocation will occur. Successful hip replacement operations should not allow a dislocation to occur under normal circumstances. If you experience frequent hip dislocations, whether they are painful or not, it could be the result of an unsuccessful operation. Other symptoms you may experience with a hip dislocation are pain while walking, inability to walk, pain in your groin or hip area, one leg that appears shorter than the other, and weakness or even numbness in one leg.

Seek a Personal Injury Lawyer if You’ve Suffered a Failed Hip Replacement

Seeking out legal representation is necessary if you feel that your hip replacement was unsuccessful. A lawyer who practices personal injury law, specifically injuries caused by medical operations or procedures and defective medical devices, can offer you the representation you deserve. If you or a family member has been experiencing medical problems after a hip replacement in Texas, please contact the Turley Law Firm online or call 214-691-4025 or email turley@wturley.com today to schedule your free consultation. Our professional Dallas attorneys serve clients throughout Texas and multiple Southern and Southwestern states.