Hip Joint Resurfacing

Normal Anatomy

The thigh bone, femur, and the pelvis, acetabulum, join to form the hip joint.  The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint.  The “ball” is the head of the femur, or thigh bone, and the "socket" is the cup shaped acetabulum.

The joint surface is covered by a smooth articular surface that allows pain free movement in the joint.

The cartilage cushions the joint and allows the bones to move on each other with smooth movements.  This cartilage does not show up on X-ray, therefore you can see a “joint space” between the femoral head and acetabular socket.

Pelvis

The pelvis is a large, flattened, irregularly shaped bone, constricted in the center and expanded above and below. It consists of three parts: the ilium, ischium, and pubis. The socket, acetabulum, is situated on the outer surface of the bone and joins to the head of the femur to form the hip joint.

Femur

The femur is the longest bone in the skeleton. It joins to the pelvis, acetabulum, to form the hip joint. The upper part is composed of the femoral head, femoral neck, and greater and lesser trochanters.

Surgical Procedure

The surgery (Hip Resurfacing) will be performed using general, spinal or epidural anaesthesia. A combination of techniques is often used. The surgeon makes an incision along the affected hip joint, exposing the hip joint. The femur is separated from the hipbone socket. The socket of the hip joint is exposed. It is reamed to a hemispherical surface and prepared to take the new cup (acetabular component). The new cup is a press-fit; the back of this cup is roughened to allow bone to grow into it. The femur is then exposed and the femoral head is either trimmed or reamed down to an accurate shape to take its new metal component. The metal component is attached to the reshaped femur. This new metal ball will act like the hip joint’s original ball. Then the new ball and the new socket components are joined together to form the new hip joint. The muscles and tendons are then repaired and the skin is closed. Drains are usually inserted to drain excessive blood.

Post-op Precautions

Remember this is an artificial hip and must be treated with care. Avoid the combined movement of bending your hip and turning your foot in.