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Hip Resurfacing

If you’re experiencing hip pain, hip resurfacing may be an alterative to hip replacement. The orthopedic experts at Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta are here to help.

What Is Hip Resurfacing?

If you suffer from hip pain including advanced arthritis of the hip, you may be a candidate for either traditional total hip replacement (arthroplasty) or hip resurfacing (hip resurfacing arthroplasty). Each of these procedures is a type of hip replacement, but there are important differences. Your orthopedic surgeon will talk with you about the different procedures and which operation would be best for you.

In a traditional total hip replacement, the head of the thighbone (femoral head) and the damaged socket are both removed and replaced with metal, plastic, or ceramic components.

In hip resurfacing, the femoral head is not removed, but is instead trimmed and capped with a smooth metal covering. The damaged bone and cartilage within the socket is removed and replaced with a metal shell, just as in a traditional total hip replacement.

Advantages Of Hip Resurfacing

  • Hip resurfacings may be easier to revise.  The components (called implants) used in hip replacements and hip resurfacings are mechanical parts, they can — and do — wear out or loosen over time. Hip resurfacing removes less bone than a traditional hip replacement, many surgeons believe it is easier to exchange implants that fail after hip resurfacing.
  • Decreased risk of hip dislocation. In hip resurfacing, the size of the ball is larger than in a traditional hip replacement, and it is closer to the size of the natural ball of your hip. Because of this, it may be harder to dislocate.
  • More normal walking pattern. Several studies have shown that walking patterns are more natural following hip resurfacing compared to traditional hip replacement.

Learn More About Hip Resurfacing At Mercy Mt. Shasta

For more information on hip resurfacing, please call 530.926.7144. For a physician referral, call 888.628.1948 or use our search tool to Find a Doctor.