A total hip replacement is a surgical procedure that involves replacing a worn or damaged hip joint with an artificial joint. This artificial joint consists of three components that reproduce the shape and function of a healthy hip. A femoral stem is inserted into the femur and supports a femoral head, which articulates with an acetabular cup fixed within the pelvis.
When is surgery recommended and why?
Hip osteoarthritis (coxarthrosis) is a progressive degenerative condition affecting the hip joint. Once the cartilage has worn away, there is no treatment capable of reversing this degeneration, and the natural course of the disease is one of gradual deterioration.
Several conservative treatments are used to relieve pain and slow disease progression, including lifestyle measures, analgesic medication, anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy.
When hip degeneration becomes too advanced, these treatments are no longer sufficient and total hip replacement may be recommended.
The aims of surgery are to eliminate pain, restore hip mobility and allow patients to return to normal walking and sporting activities.