Diabetes is the condition in which the blood sugar levels get too high. The reason for elevated levels of glucose is due to the foods consumed with high sugar levels. Insulin is the hormone that helps take glucose into the body's cells to give them energy.
There are two types of diabetes. In type I diabetes, the body is incapable of producing insulin. While type II diabetes is more common, it is when the body does not use insulin properly. Without insulin, glucose stays in the blood.
When blood sugar is higher than normal but not enough to cause diabetes, this is called prediabetes. This condition creates a greater risk of developing type II diabetes. With the passage of time, high glucose in the blood can lead to serious problems. It causes damage to the kidneys, nerves and eyes and the risk of getting fractures also increases.
These studies reveal that with type I diabetes, the bone mineral density decreases which in turn increases the risk of osteoporotic fractures and hip fractures. The studies have shown little connection between the hip fractures and type II diabetes. Additional studies, however, reveal that patients with type II still have a high risk of hip fractures.
With the passage of time and one grows older, the danger of having a hip fracture rises because bones become thinner and lose mass. Elderly patients with diabetes have 32% higher osteoporotic fracture risks due to low levels of bone density.
Total hip replacement surgery is one of the most valued developments in the history of orthopedics. The surgeon relieves the pain and restores function of the joints that are destroyed by any disease. In total hip replacement, the cup-shaped hip socket and ball of thigh bone are replaced by artificial implants.
The advancements in the medical field is improving the outcomes of the patients. With the anterior approach to hip replacement, less damage is done to the major muscles of the body. There are fewer muscles on the top of the hip, and the surgeon works between them. Due to the less damage from cutting into the major muscles, the patients experience less pain after surgery.
The patient can heal sooner and can bend at the hip and even bear weight when it feels comfortable. Anterior hip replacement patients walk with ease 5 to 6 days earlier than other hip replacement patients. This surgery does not disturb the muscles and soft tissue which reduces post-surgery hip dislocations.
For more information on anterior hip replacement surgery, contact Dr. Dan Albright at 919-863-6808.
