Until just recently, your orthopedist would likely be
recommending total hip replacement surgery at this point
of your disease state. While it is clearly a more
bone-sacrificing procedure than hip resurfacing, total hip
replacement is a safe and effective surgery, and is
performed more than 300,000 times per year in the United
States.
As you may know, total hip replacement requires the
removal of the femoral head and the insertion of a hip
stem down the shaft of the femur. Hip resurfacing, on the
other hand, preserves the femoral head and the femoral
neck. During the procedure, your surgeon will only remove
a few centimeters of bone around the femoral head, shaping
it to fit tightly inside the BIRMINGHAM HIP Resurfacing
implant.
Your surgeon will also prepare the acetabulum for the
metal cup that will form the socket portion of the
ball-and-socket joint. While the resurfacing component
slides over the top of the femoral head like a tooth cap,
the acetabular component is pressed into place much like a
total hip replacement component would be.