If your hip has been damaged by arthritis or a traumatic injury, and everyday activities are painful or difficult to perform, you may be a candidate for hip resurfacing.
Hip resurfacing is an alternative to a total hip replacement and is often recommended for younger patients.
Procedure Description
Hip resurfacing is a newer alternative to a hip replacement. In this procedure, similar to a hip replacement, an artificial hip socket is affixed to the pelvis using cement, screws or a special material that allows the bone to grow into the prosthesis.
However, in this procedure the head of the femur (ball) is covered or "resurfaced" with a prosthesis rather than being replaced by an artificial ball.
The prosthesis is attached to the femur with cement and has a short stem that passes into the femoral neck, preserving the original bone of the femur head and neck.
