Hip joint replacement

Alternative Names: Hip arthroplasty; Total hip replacement; Hip hemiarthroplasty

Hip joint replacement is surgery to replace all or part of the hip joint with a man-made (artificial) joint. The artificial joint is called a prosthesis.

Description of Procedure

Your hip joint is made up of two major parts. One or both parts may be replaced during surgery:

• The hip socket (a part of the pelvic bone called the acetabulum)
• The upper end of the thighbone (called the femoral head)

The new hip that replaces the old one is made up of these parts:

• A socket, which is usually made of strong metal
• A liner, which fits inside the socket. It is usually plastic, but some surgeons are now trying other materials, like ceramic and metal. The liner allows the hip to move smoothly.
• A metal or ceramic ball that will replace the round head (top) of your thigh bone.
• A metal stem that is attached to the thigh bone to make the joint more stable.

You will not feel any pain during surgery because you will have one of two types of anesthesia:

• General anesthesia. This means you will be asleep and unable to feel pain.
• Regional (spinal or epidural anesthesia). Medicine is put into your back to make you numb below your waist. You will also get medicine to make you sleepy. And you may get medicine that will make you forget about the procedure, even though you will not be fully asleep.

After you receive anesthesia, your surgeon will make a surgical cut to open up your hip joint. Often this cut is over the buttocks. Then your surgeon will:

• Cut and remove the head of your thigh bone
• Clean out your hip socket and remove the rest of the cartilage and damaged or arthritic bone
• Put the new hip socket in place, then insert the metal stem into your thigh bone
• Place the correct-sized ball for the new joint
• Secure all of the new parts in place, sometimes with a special cement
• Repair the muscles and tendons around the new joint
• Close the surgical cut

This surgery usually takes 1 to 3 hours.

Risks of Hip joint replacement

Risks for any anesthesia are:

• Allergic reactions to medicines
• Breathing problems

Risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs
• Heart attack or stroke during surgery
• Infection, including in the lungs, urinary tract, and chest

For more detail about joint replacement, see also: Risks of hip and knee replacement

Hip fracture	Osteoarthritis vs. rheumatoid arthritis	Hip joint replacement - series

Review Date: 9/22/2011
Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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