It is a deterioration of the articular surfaces of the bones, which develops over time and can be either idiopathic or due to some other pathological condition.

“The causes of its appearance at younger ages are usually post-traumatic, such as for example an accident or a traffic accident or in some cases osteonecrosis, the disorder of the vascularity of the hip, which can also be due to an injury. However, other factors also contribute, such as high blood sugar, coagulation disorders, pregnancy in women and the use of cortisone,” points out the Mr. Stylianos TheocharakisOrthopedic Director at Metropolitan Hospital.

How do we know there is a problem?

“Pain is the main symptom, but other symptoms are also observed, such as difficulty walking, lameness, difficulty for patients to put on their shoes or socks, discomfort when they go to cut their nails, but also difficulty in going up or down the stairs. In fact, many times they also hear cries. More generally, it is a condition that makes life difficult for sufferers,” explains Mr. Theocharakis.

How does it change the daily life of patients?

“Osteoarthritis causes edema (swelling), loss of cartilage, stiffness and pain, phenomena that lead to a decrease in physical activity and a tendency to immobility, with consequences of increasing gravity on the quality of life and, in some cases, on the cardiovascular system of the affected individuals. As a disease, it affects all the joints and it goes without saying that the bigger the joint, the bigger the problems it causes in the daily life of the patients” answers the doctor.

Does it need surgery?

“Surgery is needed if all conservative treatments fail, such as weight loss and muscle strengthening to reduce risk factors. In this case, surgical treatment with hip replacement is indicated. At Metropolitan Hospital we perform robotic surgeries which provide great precision and have very good detailed pre-operative planning. Since 2014, we have been using the Mako machine. With this particular method, we achieve a lower rate of hip dislocations – a complication that was quite common in the past – we have less bleeding and better kinematics, that is, the hip “mimics” what it was before the osteoarthritis. Also, the correct clinical examination and the surgeon are of great importance, because it is necessary to have experience in order to offer a completely personalized approach to each patient.

That’s why initially, we examine the patient and get all the necessary information about his body, such as his weight and history, if he has high sugar levels or any other disease. Then, we do a special axial and as soon as we have the results, we plan what material to put and on what slopes. In this way, we achieve excellent accuracy of the imaging as well as the clinical result” clarifies the expert.

After this surgery, does the patient’s daily life change?

“How quickly it will mobilize depends on the patient himself. However, most of the time, the majority of patients get moving quickly, with or without physical therapy. If the patient needs it, he can perform physical therapy in a second time or, if he wants, he can also do exercises by himself. Of course, his physical condition before surgery is also important. If, for example, he did not exercise, he will find it more difficult to mobilize compared to someone who did exercise,” he emphasizes.

If a person of a younger age faces this particular problem, how do we approach him as a surgical patient?

“There are clinical criteria,” notes Mr. Theocharakis: “For example, if a patient has end-stage arthritis, even at the age of 50-55, he cannot wait 15 years with the goal of the material surviving another 20 to 25 years , because in this way he will destroy the quality of his life, instead of securing it. From then on, at 75, he can do a revision, depending on how much his life has changed, clinically.”

The longer someone delays the surgery, the bigger the damage or is it better to wait a few years?

“It is good that the surgery is done immediately, since the conservative ways of dealing with the problem have failed, as it is not possible to reduce the patient’s quality of life so drastically and wait for the seventh decade of his life in order to solve the problem” concludes Mr. Theocharakis.