Arthrodesis Hip Treatment in India

James Roy, a 58-year-old construction foreman,...

James Roy, a 58-year-old construction foreman, had worked physically demanding jobs his entire life. For the past five years, he endured worsening, grinding pain in his right hip from severe post-traumatic osteoarthritis, a legacy of a fall from scaffolding a decade prior. The pain became constant, robbing him of sleep and forcing him to use a cane. Anti-inflammatories and two rounds of steroid injections provided only fleeting relief. His orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Chen, explained that the joint cartilage was completely worn away, 'bone on bone.' Given James's age, activity level, and the joint's destruction, a hip replacement carried a high risk of early failure and dislocation. Dr. Chen recommended a hip arthrodesis (fusion) as the most durable solution to eliminate pain and provide a stable leg for work, though it would sacrifice all hip motion. The surgery was long and complex, involving plates and screws to fix the femur to the pelvis. The initial recovery in the hospital was tough, with significant pain managed by an epidural. James spent six weeks non-weight-bearing, wrestling with frustration and depression over his immobility and the permanence of the decision. However, by six months, walking with only a slight limp and zero hip pain, his perspective shifted. He returned to a supervisory role on-site, pain-free and stable. The emotional journey was from a fearful, pain-ridden man grieving his lost mobility to a resilient, adaptable one who found profound gratitude for the cessation of pain and the ability to work and provide for his family again, even if it meant sitting differently or tying his shoes with a long-handled tool.