Coxarthrosis grade 3 is the last stage of deforming osteoarthritis of the hip joint. Delay in the treatment of the disease can lead to tissue necrosis. Most doctors consider it expedient at this stage to prescribe therapy to patients only in the form of surgical intervention, but some doctors are in no hurry to operate, but try to use therapeutic treatment. In any case, the treatment of grade 3 coxarthrosis is a rather difficult and time-consuming process.
Main signs of disease
The symptoms of this disease are very pronounced. Coxarthrosis of the hip joint of the 3rd degree is characterized by the following features:
- pain at night;
- disruption of normal sleep patterns;
- irritable or depressed state;
- stiffness, inelasticity of joints (especially after prolonged immobilization);
- limited movement;
- lameness (distinguishes unilateral coxarthrosis of the hip 3 degrees).
Possibility of disability
With a disease such as coxarthrosiship joint grade 3, treatment should be urgent. It is worth remembering that at this stage, therapy is very serious. The neglect of the disease leads to disability. A person will have to resolutely refuse some types of work: perhaps only for the recovery period, or maybe forever. Firstly, labor associated with heavy physical effort should be limited, and secondly, sedentary work can also be a big test.
For a patient with stage 3 coxarthrosis, doctors most often establish a second disability group. This group includes patients who independently move and serve themselves in everyday life, but at the same time they can only perform certain types of work. This disability group is established for a certain period, after which it is necessary to undergo a re-examination.
Therapeutic treatment of coxarthrosis
Traditional treatment aims to reduce inflammation and regenerate the damaged joint surface. As a rule, in this case, the doctor prescribes a complex of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Nimesulide, Ibuprofen and Voltaren.
In case of pronounced symptoms, corticosteroid injections are used. This is necessary in order to stop the inflammation. To improve metabolic processes, strengthen and restore, drugs with a vasodilating property are used. Recently, so-called chondroprotectors have also been widely used,contributing to the restoration of cartilage, allow you to stop a progressive disease.
Physiotherapy occupies a separate niche in conservative treatment. An experienced specialist will select exercises that will not cause pain and at the same time help develop and tone the thigh muscles.
Surgery
Often, all therapeutic measures are effective only in the initial stages and provide only temporary relief. With a disease such as coxarthrosis of the 3rd degree, the operation can be of two types:
- without prosthetics;
- with partial joint replacement.
Basically, all operations give a positive result, among the side effects, only the risks associated with inflammation can be listed. With a disease such as coxarthrosis of the hip joint of the 3rd degree, surgery is the most effective method of treatment.
Preparation for surgery
Some time before surgery, the patient needs to undergo a medical examination. It consists of X-ray, electrocardiogram, blood and urine laboratory tests.
It is worth taking care in advance that the first time after the operation someone helps the patient in everyday life.
The speed of healing and recovery also depends on the physiological state of the muscles. That is why doctors recommend not too intense, but still sports. Best for swimming, walking and stretching.
Choosing a prosthesis for surgery
The operation is performed under general anesthesia. The surgeon will remove the joint and install a prosthesis in its place, which has a spherical shape with many small holes through which bone tissue will grow in the future. This allows you to make the position of the joint more reliable. The holders of the prosthesis are fasteners and acrylic cement. The rod is made of titanium, the ball itself is made of molybdenum, chromium or cob alt, other parts are metal, plastic, ceramics.
When choosing a prosthesis, doctors usually pay attention to the patient's lifestyle, age, stage of the disease. Most often they offer an option that will last at least ten years. In total, there are about fifty types of prostheses, but, as a rule, you have to choose between four or five.
Side effects of surgery
Although this type of surgical intervention is quite successful in most cases, complications can still occur. Risks associated with surgery include:
- Prosthesis wear. An artificial joint has its own service life. The bone tissue that grows and strengthens the prosthesis after the operation begins to break down over time, which leads to weakening of the prosthesis fasteners. The latter entails pain in the hip and groin.
- Deterioration of elasticity. The process occurs due to the fact that the soft tissues around the artificial joint tend to thicken. Rigidity can be seen as the quality of physical activity deteriorates.
- Accumulation of blood clots. Signs of this complication are swelling at the site of implantation and fever. A person has shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, which can lead to pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. So, if any such effects appear, you should not delay and it is better to immediately go to the hospital.
- Fever, chills, discharge in the area where the operation was performed, pain. All these symptoms only indicate that you should immediately consult a doctor.
Recovery period
In the first hours after the operation, the patient's hip joints are fixed in a fixed (anatomically correct) position. For this, a person is laid on his back, and a special pillow is placed between his legs.
In order for the joint to start functioning faster, a person must learn to get up and move independently as early as possible. At first, the staff helps to cope with this, then crutches and sticks. Discomfort should not be a barrier to recovery.
In the postoperative period, the legs may swell a lot. In order to normalize the blood cycle and eliminate swelling, doctors prescribe a series of injections with anticoagulants. To prevent the development of inflammation, the patient must take antibiotics.
In almost any case, it is better to additionally consult with a physiotherapist. The specialist will suggest exercises that contribute to the fastest recovery and strengthening of the body, will give severalrecommendations. So, for example, patients who have undergone surgery should not sit with their legs crossed, do flexion movements of more than ninety degrees, and avoid rotation of the torso. Experts advise walking in small steps, preventing stress and pressure on the implantation site. The height of the chairs should be comfortable, not too low. Do not engage in activities that provoke pain or discomfort in the hip area.
Recovery time after surgery
Most often, patients spend about a week in the hospital after surgery, and then recover at home. Further treatment consists of taking medications and doing exercises. At first, people feel tired due to the constant stress on the muscles and joints, but this quickly passes.
Pain, as a rule, is associated directly with the implant itself. Most patients successfully cope with discomfort, otherwise analgesics are prescribed by the doctor. In this case, severe pain should not be endured in any case. If there is, then you should go to the hospital without delay (especially if the discomfort is accompanied by redness or fluid at the site of the operation).
Repeated medical examination should never be skipped, as the doctor must make sure that no complications have arisen. Yes, and you should assure yourself that everything is in order.
Without any outside helppeople who had stage 3 coxarthrosis begin to move on average after a month. But patients can return to their previous lifestyle only after two to four months. All controversial and incomprehensible points regarding self-recovery should first be clarified with a doctor so as not to harm yourself later.
Alternative treatments for coxarthrosis
Some experts today offer treatment for grade 3 coxarthrosis without surgery: in the fight against this disease, stem cells are used, the introduction of which promotes the formation of new blood vessels, strengthening cartilage tissue and the joint itself. In addition, the outflow of blood and all metabolic processes improve. As a result of exposure to the diseased area with stem cells, pain decreases, elasticity increases. The possibility of edematous and inflammatory processes is excluded.
Outcomes of disease treatment
Coxarthrosis grade 3 is a very serious disease that makes it difficult and restricts free movement, does not allow you to lead a normal life. But even at the final stage, the pathology is treatable, albeit at the cost of surgical intervention. Modern prostheses that are installed during the operation, although they need periodic replacement, significantly improve the patient's quality of life.
