My husband is treated for Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) and has recently been told he needs a total hip replacement. What are the risks?

The doctor must decide. But here is what I think, take it or leave it. It is not medical advice. With everything your husband has I think it is too risky. Like Maple said try alternative things first. How about trying physical therapy.

This is a difficult decision to make, so I hope that your husband's cardiologist gives you some insights.   I think I would also get an opinion from another ortho surgeon to confirm that there apparently are no other choices than replacement.  

Did anyone raise the issue of an arthritis friendly diet, eliminating or at least reducing the foods that can aggravate it?

Infection is always the biggest risk with replacement surgeries. If he has heart failure and diabetes that affects circulation and could have higher infection risk.

I think before a Surgeon will operate on your husband he will request clearance from your husbands Cardiologist. And its not just the anesthesia it's also a shock to the body. Being a diabetic, how will he heal. Your husband has a lot of health problems to be considered here.

Mom's hubby l, also had CHF, had a hip revision in 2011 at the age of 83. His previous hip replacement had to be redone, the pin had come loose in the femur causing a tremendous amount of pain.

The anesthesia was the hardest part for him. He spent about five hours in recovery, he just would not wake up. Finally he did. He experienced some cognitive decline and I was concerned that was going to be the start of dementia for him. He was a bit loopy for a couple of months following the surgery but did return to his baseline.

Rehab is very important following this type of surgery. He was there for nearly three months, continuing to gradually improve, and was then able to return home using a walker.

I had total hip replacement surgery in 2017 without using general anesthesia, which is the biggest risk with the 90 minute surgery. I was given an epidural (spinal) and offered Propofol thru my iv if I wanted to be knocked out during the procedure which some people don't want. I wanted....lol. So I woke up immediately afterward, no issues, no breathing problems, no grogginess, no great pain, nothing. Was up with a walker that night and home the next day, no physical therapy either, just walking 6x a day. First with a walker, then a cane, then nothing. I felt like my butt weighed 1000 lbs at first and it was hard to move around in bed. DH helped me a lot and took a week off work. I used a toilet riser which helped A LOT, a grabber bc you can't bend over for a few weeks, and I needed him to put my socks on. I wore slip on shoes. The scar healed well and was small.....about 6" long, if that. I had anterior hip surgery which is easier to recover from than posterior, because no muscles around the hip joint are cut during the procedure. I was driving and back to work in 3 weeks. I was 60 when I had the surgery and have had no pain since, but LOTS of arthritis bone on bone pain beforehand. I'll do my left hip in a New York minute when it becomes necessary.

Naturally, your DH has to speak to his doctors about the viability of his surgery with all his other existing health conditions. But removing general anesthesia from the picture removes a HUGE potential threat. Good luck! 😁

There is a new treatment on the market called Fluid Flow. It is made from components found in amniotic fluid, similar to stem cells. I had been receiving it for severe arthritis in my spine and shoulders, which helped. Now it can not be used for facets ( mostly where I had it in my spine). It is still approved by Medicare for knees, hips and shoulders. If your husband's doctors don't think he can withstand surgery, the Fluid Flow injections might be worth looking into. You can Google it for more info

That’s a tough situation. Is it possible to get a second opinion from an orthopedic doctor about treating the pain? I’d explore risks vs. benefits. It’s a lot to consider.