About the Hip Total Hip Replacement Minimally Invasive Total Hip Replacement Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Ceramic Hip Replacement Surface Arthroplasty Computer Navigation Anterior Hip Approach

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the expert guidance of your orthopedic surgeon. Any questions or concerns you may have should be directed to your orthopedic surgeon. Total hip replacement can be an extremely successful surgical procedure. The first total hip replacement surgery was performed more than 40 years ago, and since then, millions of people have received hip replacements. Hip replacement surgery has become a fairly common procedure, with nearly 300,000 being performed every year in the United States alone.* Total hip replacement, also called arthroplasty, involves removing the diseased bone and cartilage and resurfacing it with orthopedic implants. During surgery, the joint is exposed by an incision, made on the side of the hip. The affected portion of the "ball," or head of the femur, is removed to allow for the replacement hip component, which is made of a biocompatible (body friendly) metal alloy such as cobalt chromium or titanium. The "socket," or acetabulum, is then shaped to accept the new socket, which is pressed into place. * DeFrances CJ, Hall MJ, Podgornik MN: "2003 National Hospital Discharge Survey. Advance data from vital and health statistics," No. 359, Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 2005