Siegel Orthopedic Surgery

State of the Art Technology

Hip Resurfacing

Hip Resurfacing, like Total Hip Replacement, is a surgical procedure to treat the hip joint, typically for arthritis in the hip.

For a Hip Resurfacing procedure the surgeon shapes an arthritic or damaged joint and then covers or "resurfaces" both sides of the joint with metal prosthetic implants. The one side, the end of the femur (leg) bone, is capped somewhat like a tooth cap. The other side, the hip socket, is cupped with an implant.

The prosthetic implants are made of a strong (cobalt chrome) metal. The femur implant is fixed in position with bone cement. The socket implant is press-fit into the socket without the use of cement to hold the implant in place.

The Hip Resurfacing prosthetic implants are designed to move together like a healthy joint. They do this by realigning the bones so that the weight that passes through the hip is distributed normally. Realignment achieved improves mobility and relieves pain. Hip resurfacing preserves bone stock on the femur (leg) bone if a revision is ever needed. Also, the large diameter metal ball and socket more closely mimic the natural joint structure than smaller diameter implants.

• Typically with Hip Resurfacing both prosthetic implants are made from metal. With THR, the prosthetic implants are made from ceramic, polyethylene, or metal.
• With Hip Resurfacing, the implant is almost identical to the size of the head of the natural femur. With THR, the size of the head can be considerably smaller.
• With Hip Resurfacing, the procedure is considered to be bone conserving on the femur side. The natural femur neck remains intact and the natural head of the femur is reshaped and resurfaced, rather than removed. With THR, both the natural neck and head are removed, and the stem is considerably larger.

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