Hip Trauma Surgeon in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Repairing or Renewing a Broken Hip
A broken hip - most often in an older adult after a fall, or in a younger person after a high-energy accident - needs prompt, well-judged surgery to relieve pain and get the patient moving again safely. Dr. Hiren Patel treats hip fractures and dislocations in Ahmedabad, choosing between fixing the fracture and replacing the ball of the hip based on where the break is and the patient's age and bone quality, at PMG Hospital.
- Femoral neck and intertrochanteric fracture surgery
- Fixation with dynamic hip screw or hip nail
- Hip replacement where the fracture cannot be fixed
- Urgent care for hip dislocations
What is hip trauma surgery?
Hip trauma surgery treats fractures and dislocations of the hip so an injured patient can stand, walk and recover safely. The hip is the ball-and-socket joint at the top of the thigh bone (femur), and injuries here are treated urgently - particularly in older patients - because prolonged immobility is itself dangerous. Depending on exactly where the bone is broken and the patient's age and bone quality, the hip is either fixed with implants or the ball is replaced, and getting that decision right is the central part of hip trauma care.
Common hip injuries
Most hip injuries are fractures of the top of the thigh bone, with dislocations following higher-energy trauma. The injuries treated here include:
- Femoral neck fractures (just below the ball)
- Intertrochanteric fractures (the bony region below the neck)
- Subtrochanteric fractures (upper thigh bone)
- Traumatic hip dislocations
- Hip fracture-dislocations
How hip fractures are treated
The treatment depends mainly on where the fracture is, because that determines the blood supply to the ball of the hip. Fractures in the trochanteric region below the neck have a good blood supply and are fixed with a dynamic hip screw (DHS) or an intramedullary hip nail. A femoral neck fracture is different; it can disrupt the blood supply to the ball, risking the bone dying (avascular necrosis). In a younger patient it is fixed urgently with screws to preserve the natural hip; in an older patient the ball is usually replaced instead with a partial hip replacement (hemiarthroplasty) or a total hip replacement because a fixed femoral neck in older bone often fails to heal or the head collapses.
Why hip fractures need prompt surgery
A broken hip in an older person is treated as an emergency less because of the fracture itself and more because lying immobile is dangerous. Prolonged bed rest quickly leads to chest infections, blood clots, pressure sores and rapid loss of muscle, all of which raise the risk to life. Operating promptly - generally within 24 to 48 hours, once the patient is medically prepared - lets them sit up, stand and start moving sooner, and is associated with fewer complications and better survival.
Recovery after hip trauma surgery
Whether the hip is fixed or replaced, the aim is the same: get the patient standing and walking with support within a day or two, because early mobilisation is central to recovery and to avoiding the complications of bed rest. A structured physiotherapy programme rebuilds strength and walking, with weight-bearing guided by the fracture and the fixation used. Most patients regain useful mobility over the following weeks to months; bone healing after fixation typically takes about three months, and recovery after a replacement follows a similar timeline, with the overall pace depending on age, bone quality and general health.
- Experience
- 14+ years
- Surgeries
- 14,000+
Hip trauma Surgery Specialist in Ahmedabad
A broken hip rewards prompt surgery, the right fix-or-replace decision, and quick mobilisation afterwards. Dr. Hiren Patel is an orthopaedic surgeon in Ahmedabad with 14+ years of practice and 14,000+ surgeries at PMG Hospital, treating hip fractures and dislocations with both fixation - dynamic hip screw, hip nail and screws - and hip replacement where a fracture cannot be reliably fixed. When choosing a hip trauma doctor or hospital in Ahmedabad, prompt surgery, sound judgement on fixing versus replacing, and early mobilisation matter most. Learn more about Dr. Hiren Patel or explore the wider trauma and fracture care.
Frequently asked questions
Does a broken hip always need surgery?
Almost always. The great majority of hip fractures are treated surgically, because surgery lets the patient move early and avoids the serious complications of prolonged bed rest. Only rarely - for a stable, undisplaced fracture, or a patient too unwell for any operation - is non-surgical care chosen, and even then getting the patient moving is prioritised.
Why are some hip fractures fixed and others replaced?
It comes down to the fracture's location and its blood supply. Fractures below the ball (trochanteric) heal well and are fixed with a screw-plate or nail. A femoral neck fracture can cut off the blood supply to the ball, so in older patients the ball is usually replaced with a partial or total hip replacement rather than fixed, while in younger patients it is fixed urgently to preserve the natural hip.
How soon should hip fracture surgery be done?
As soon as the patient is medically ready, generally within 24 to 48 hours. Earlier surgery lets the patient mobilise sooner and is associated with fewer complications and better survival, so any medical issues are optimised quickly rather than delaying unnecessarily.
How is a dislocated hip treated?
A dislocated hip is an emergency and is reduced (put back in place) urgently, because the longer it stays out, the higher the risk of the ball's blood supply failing (avascular necrosis). It usually follows high-energy trauma and is often accompanied by a fracture, so the hip is checked carefully and any associated fracture is treated alongside.
How long is recovery after hip trauma surgery?
Patients are helped to stand and walk with support within a day or two, and regain useful mobility over the following weeks to months. Bone healing after fixation takes about three months, while a hip replacement for a fracture recovers on a similar timeline, with the pace guided by age, bone quality and overall health.