Total hip replacement removes the worn ball of the thigh bone and the damaged socket in the pelvis and replaces them with a metal stem, a ceramic or metal head and a lined cup. It is one of the most successful operations in medicine for pain relief.
It removes arthritic pain and restores walking for most people. An artificial hip can dislocate, wear or loosen over decades, so impact sport is discouraged and a young patient may need a revision later in life.
What Hip Replacement involves
Through an incision of 10 to 15 cm at the back, side or front of the hip, the surgeon separates or splits the muscles and opens the joint capsule. The hip is dislocated and the femoral neck is cut with a saw at a templated level. The socket is reamed to a hemisphere of healthy bleeding bone and a titanium cup is pressed in, sometimes with screws, and fitted with a polyethylene or ceramic liner. The thigh bone canal is prepared with rasps of increasing size. Trial components are used to test leg length, offset and stability through a full range of movement. The final stem is then press fitted or cemented, the head is impacted, the hip is relocated and the capsule and muscles are repaired.
Who is a good candidate for Hip Replacement?
It is for hip arthritis or collapse of the femoral head that limits walking and sleep despite painkillers, exercise and weight management.
- Osteoarthritis with loss of joint space on X-ray and groin pain on walking
- Avascular necrosis with collapse of the femoral head
- Arthritis after hip dysplasia or an old fracture
- Inflammatory arthritis that has destroyed the joint
- Displaced femoral neck fracture in an active older person
It is usually not the right choice if:
- Active infection anywhere in the body, including dental and urinary
- Hip pain that really comes from the spine, with a near normal hip X-ray
- Uncontrolled diabetes, severe obesity or untreated heart disease until improved
- Mild arthritis that is still manageable without surgery
Technique options
- Posterior approach: The most widely used; good exposure, with careful capsule repair to limit dislocation.
- Direct anterior approach: Works between muscles; slightly faster early recovery, not suited to every body shape.
- Uncemented implants: Bone grows onto a rough coated stem and cup; usual choice for good bone.
- Cemented stem: Preferred in osteoporotic bone and in many patients over 75 because fracture risk is lower.
- Ceramic on polyethylene bearing: Common modern pairing with low wear.
- Dual mobility cup: A cup within a cup, used when dislocation risk is high.
What happens during your treatment
Surgery lasts 60 to 90 minutes under spinal anaesthetic with sedation or general anaesthetic. You stand with a frame the same day or next morning. Hospital stay is usually 3 to 4 nights. You receive antibiotics at surgery and blood thinners for about 4 to 5 weeks.
Preparing for your trip
Plan for 12 to 16 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.
- Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
- Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
- Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
- Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly
Recovery and results
Most people use two crutches for 2 to 4 weeks and one stick until about 6 weeks. Driving returns at around 6 weeks. Sitting on a plane is reasonable from about 10 to 14 days with clot prevention. Walking distance builds over 3 months, and strength keeps improving for a year. Low impact activity such as swimming, cycling and golf is encouraged.
- Back to everyday activity: 6 weeks to routine activity
- When results show: Pain relief within weeks; full benefit by 6 to 12 months
- How long they last: More than 9 in 10 last 15 to 20 years
Safety, risks and revision policy
Serious complications affect a small minority but matter because they can mean further surgery.
- Dislocation, mostly in the first 3 months
- Deep infection around the implant, in about 1 in 100, sometimes needing revision
- Deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism
- Leg length difference
- Fracture of the femur during or after surgery
- Sciatic or femoral nerve injury causing foot drop or thigh weakness, rare
- Loosening or wear over the years
- Persistent pain in a small number despite a well placed implant
Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.
Cost of Hip Replacement in Türkiye
Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Hip Replacement, because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:
- Implant type and bearing surface
- Primary versus revision surgery
- One hip or both
- Length of stay and inpatient physiotherapy
- Pre-operative cardiac or medical work-up
Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can both hips be replaced in one trip?
In healthy patients under about 70 it can be done in one operation or a week apart. Blood loss and medical risk are higher, so it is an individual decision.
Who follows me up at home?
Your own doctor or a local orthopaedic clinic. Take your implant details, operation note and X-rays. A check X-ray at 1 year and then every few years is usual.
Are there movements I must avoid?
Precautions depend on the approach. After a posterior approach you avoid deep bending and crossing legs for 6 to 12 weeks.
How long does a hip last?
Registry data show most modern hips still working at 20 years. Younger, heavier and more active patients wear them faster.