Hip Resurfacing

One particular type of hip replacement that has attracted a lot of publicity over the past few years is Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty (HRA). In HRA, instead of the bone of the ball of the hip joint (the femoral head) being cut away completely and replaced with a new ball, the surface of the femoral head is shaved off, and a new dome-shaped surface is attached onto the top instead. This metal dome is fixed into a large metal socket in the pelvis.

The potential advantages of hip resurfacing over traditional hip replacement are that a) the joint is actually more stable, and less liable to potential dislocations, and b) less bone is removed, meaning that future potential revision surgery may be technically easier.

However, there are potential disadvantages with hip resurfacing. First, it relies on a metal-on-metal bearing, which may be a problem in people with metal sensitivity (as detailed above). Second, there is a risk of the femoral neck (the bone beneath the ball part of the joint) fracturing either during or after the operation. If this does occur, then the procedure has to be converted to a traditional hip replacement.

It is important to discuss the various options available for joint replacement directly with your own surgeon.