Surface Replacements
Surface Replacements
For the treatment of problems such as osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, and post-traumatic arthritis, surface hip replacement provides an alternative to standard hip replacement. It offers a bone-conserving prosthetic hip joint and is intended for younger, more active individuals.
For the last 30 years, the gold standard of therapy for end-stage hip arthritis has been a complete hip replacement, in which the top section of the femur (the head and neck) is replaced with a stemmed device and prosthetic head. The socket is replaced with a hemispherical-shaped cup with a bearing surface made of metal, ceramic, or polyethylene (plastic). Total hip replacement surgery is a very effective procedure that allows patients to resume pain-free exercise and enhance their quality of life. Unfortunately, prosthetic (artificial) hip implants can wear out and loosen over time. When this happens, patients experience discomfort and a loss of function.and possibly even loss of bone.
The socket is implanted in a similar manner with both classic hip replacement and surface replacement. The femur is prepped differently in the two techniques. Surface replacement, as opposed to typical hip replacement, preserves the head and neck of the femur. Following the removal of this bone, a prosthesis with a stem is implanted into the thigh bone in a typical hip replacement. The preserved bone is shaped to receive a metal cap with a short stem using a surface replacement.
Bone preservation provides a number of possible benefits. The primary benefit is that more bone is maintained in the femur in the event that another hip replacement is required. Any hip replacement may loosen or exhibit indications of deterioration over time. In a youthful, active population, there is a significant possibility that the patient may require more than one hip replacement procedure over the course of his or her life. It is a well-established notion that the more bone that remains after a revision hip surgery, the better the odds of success. The preservation of bone allows for a substantially bigger ball size, which is the second advantage of a surface replacement. This increases the stability of the hip joint prior to dislocation. The dislocation rate following surface hip replacement is approximately ten times lower than that of standard hip replacement.
What is a Total Hip Resurfacing
Hip resurfacing, also known as surface replacement arthroplasty, is a less invasive procedure that is preferred by younger patients over total hip replacement (THR). It is a bone-saving operation that involves placing a metal cap on the femoral head rather than amputating it. This is in contrast to THR, which removes the whole femoral head and neck, making it difficult for the patient to reestablish a normal gait after surgery. Because there is no lengthy stem implanted down the femur, it is more like a natural hip and may allow patients to return to numerous activities, such as marathons and triathlons; nevertheless, patients must have sufficient bone quality to qualify for it.