General Questions and Answers

Q. What are T.E.D. Hose?
TED Hose are special stockings worn on the legs to prevent blood clots. The TED Hose apply pressure to the legs, preventing blood from clotting. The incidence of blood clots is higher in patients who undergo total hip replacement surgery, so proper preventative measures should be taken to avoid the incidence of a blood clot.

A. TED stands for thromboembolic disease, which means "blood clots". The compression TED hose puts on the leg prevents blood from clotting. For more information about blood clots, see the "At Risk for DVT" page.

It is important to undertake proper preventative steps to avoid blood clots if you have a history of poor circulation, or after total joint replacement surgery. TED Hose should be worn on the airplane during long flights if you are at risk of DVT.

TED Hose can be purchased from many online retailers, obtained through your orthopedic surgeon, or obtained at the hospital your surgery took place at.

Q. What is Hip Replacement?
A. Hip Replacement surgery is a procedure in which the hip joint is repaired or replaced. Hip Joints can become diseased or sustain injury that requires them to be replaced. In a "total hip arthroplasty", the ball of the femur is cut off a "prosthetic stem" is inserted into the femur, the hip socket is cleaned out of diseased bone, and an artificial socket is inserted. A prosthetic "head" is installed, and the reconstruction of the hip joint is complete.

Hip surgery is preformed with the goal of improving range of motion, reducing pain, and improving the overall quality of life for patients.

Q. Am I eligible for Hip Replacement Surgery?
A. If you are a patient with some sort of bone disease in the hip joint, such as osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, or Legg-Calve Perthes disease, hip surgery may be an option for you. Recent advancements in prosthetic materials have made hip replacement parts last longer in patients. Younger patients are now able to undergo hip replacement surgery and have prosthetic components last longer than a few years ago.

It is important to talk to your doctor about your everyday lifestyle. Patients with a weak immune system, or another immobilizing condition may never fully recover from hip replacement surgery, and should be treated with caution. The best thing to do to find out if you are a good candidate for total hip replacement surgery is to talk to your doctor.