Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

How is it performed? of Hip replacement

In the operation, done under general or spinal (epidural) anaesthetic, the existing hip joint is completely replaced. The upper part of the femur (thigh bone) is removed and the natural hollow for the head of the femur (the acetabulum) is hollowed out. A plastic socket is fitted into the hollow in the pelvis. A short, angled metal shaft, with a smooth ball on its upper end to fit into the socket, is placed into the hollow of the thigh-bone. The plastic cup and the artificial bone-head may be a press-fit or they may be fixed with acrylic cement.

The hip replacement operation has come to be thought of by many as a routine and simple procedure however, it is major surgery requiring a skilled surgeon, and it like all surgery carries a degree of risk.

MoM hip resurfacing is carried out in a similar way. The main difference is that much less of the bone is removed as only the joint surfaces are replaced with metal inserts.

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