An orthopaedic surgeon discussed the hidden dangers of hip replacement surgery after problems from the ‘normal’ procedure were blamed for the deaths of two prominent Australians in the same week.
Cardinal George Pell, 81, passed away on January 10 and ARIA Hall of Fame vocalist Renee Geyer, 69, passed away on January 17 due to complications from hip replacement procedures.
Approximately 52,000 instances of elective hip surgery are performed annually in Australia, making it one of the country’s most prevalent treatments.
Although it is an incredibly routine treatment, clinical associate professor Andrew Leicester, who performs over 200 hip replacement surgeries per year at Bowral Orthopaedics in Sydney, stated that complications could emerge even in healthy patients.
“It depends on the patient’s overall health, but the procedure is generally safe,” Dr. Leicester told Daily Mail Australia.
George Pell and Renee Geyer died as a result of complications following hip replacement surgery (pictured, stock)
Since the 1960s, when hip replacement surgery became prevalent, surgeons have made significant strides in the procedure’s safety.
Dr. Leicester stated, “Most clinics will have a pre-admission clinic, which patients typically attend two to three weeks prior to surgery.”
‘They will undergo numerous blood tests, a cardiograph, and are typically evaluated by an anesthesiologist. If a patient is at high risk, they may be referred to a cardiologist for evaluation.
Even for a five-minute operation, there are hazards associated with the use of any anesthetic.
Particularly, if a patient has a heart condition, the anesthetic is to blame, not the surgery.
Even in healthy people, a general anesthetic, which induces a condition of “controlled unconsciousness,” can cause severe heart problems.
This is due to the fact that the sedative properties of anesthesia, which induces sleep, can promote ventricular depression and hemodynamic instability.
In the 1960s, patients just had a general anaesthetic, but now they now receive a local spinal anaesthetic and a light general anaesthetic, which makes the procedure much safer, according to Dr. Leicester.
Cardinal George Pell (pictured), 81, died of cardiac arrest following hip surgery after years of heart problems that resulted in the 2010 installation of a pacemaker.
Cardinal Pell, who had heart difficulties for years, died of cardiac arrest following hip surgery, the Vatican confirmed on January 11 in the morning.
In 2010, Cardinal Pell was implanted with a pacemaker due to his cardiac problems.
In one study, eight of the nine reasons of death following hip replacement surgery were connected to the heart.
Six days later, on January 16, Geyer’s family and record company, The Mushroom Group, confirmed the singer’s passing following her own hip replacement surgery.
While the exact reason of Geyer’s death has not yet been disclosed, she claimed in her autobiography that she had “died three times” and required resuscitation due to drug overdoses throughout her life.
Geyer was also diagnosed with lung cancer at the time of her passing.
According to my knowledge, both Pell and Geyer had underlying difficulties. Dr. Leicester stated that most fatalities can be ascribed to other factors.
Renee Geyer, 69, went away due to complications from hip surgery following a lifetime of drug usage and a cancer diagnosis, however the precise reason of her death is unknown.
According to data from the Australian Orthopaedic Association, the 30-day mortality rate after hip replacement surgery decreased from 0.26 percent in 2003 to 0.06 percent in 2017.
Although the percentage is low, it still accounts for approximately 31 deaths every year.
According to Professor Jacqueline Close, principal research fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia, the 30-day mortality rate following urgent hip replacement surgery is approximately eight percent.
Although the technique is regarded as one of the safest in the world, potential consequences such as blood clots and infections can be minimized with good postoperative care, according to Prof. Close.
Dr. Leicester stated, “The advances in patient care have made surgery much safer than it was 30 years ago.”
But there are hazards associated with every procedure and every medication.
»George Pell and Renee Geyer both died due to complications after hip replacement surgery«