HIP

Hip Treatments

Our physicians are highly experienced with the full range of hip problems associated with sports, aging, trauma, and arthritis. Their goal is to reduce joint pain and restore joint function to improve a patient’s mobility and quality of life.  Our skilled physicians routinely perform partial and total hip replacements and revisions of hip replacements. Frequently treated conditions include:

    Arthritic conditions of the joint
    Joint deformities
    Failure of previous joint surgery
    Simple and complex revision of total joint replacement
    Osteoarthritis
    Hip fractures
    Joint pain
    Arthritis following an injury
    Rheumatoid arthritis

    HIP ARTHROSCOPY

    Hip arthroscopy (also called a hip scope) is a minimally invasive surgery used to treat issues in your hip. Your surgeon will make a few small incisions (cuts) in the skin of your hip then insert a special tool called an arthroscope into your hip joint. The arthroscope includes a camera and a light that lets your surgeon identify and repair damage inside your hip. They’ll also insert any other small tools they need to repair damage to your bones or connective tissues.

    PARTIAL HIP REPLACEMENT

    A partial hip replacement (also known as a “hemiarthroplasty”) is used most commonly to treat a fractured hip. Unlike total hip replacement procedures, partial hip replacement only replaces the ball portion of the hip joint, not the socket portion.

    When the hip is fractured, the socket portion (acetabulum) is usually not injured. If the articular cartilage of the hip socket is in good condition, the metal ball of the partial hip prosthesis can glide against the cartilage without damaging the surface.

     

    TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT

    In a total hip replacement (also called total hip arthroplasty), the damaged bone and cartilage is removed and replaced with prosthetic components.

    The damaged femoral head is removed and replaced with a metal stem that is placed into the hollow center of the femur. The femoral stem may be either cemented or “press-fit” into the bone. A metal or ceramic ball is placed on the upper part of the stem. This ball replaces the damaged femoral head that was removed.

    The damaged cartilage surface of the socket (acetabulum) is removed and replaced with a metal socket. Screws or cement are sometimes used to hold the socket in place. A plastic, ceramic, or metal spacer is inserted between the new ball and the socket to allow for a smooth gliding surface.

     

    REVISION

    Total hip replacement is a very successful procedure; however, a hip replacement can fail for a variety of reasons. When this occurs, your physician may recommend that you have a second operation to remove some or all of the parts of the original prosthesis and replace them with new ones. This procedure is called revision total hip replacement.

    Revision surgery may be recommended due to the following reasons: original implant wear and loosening; infection; recurrent dislocation; fracture; allergy to metal; and other factors discussed between you and your physician.

    There are different types of revision surgery. In some cases, only some components of the prosthesis need to be revised. In other cases, the whole prosthesis needs to be removed or replaced and the bone around the hip needs to be rebuilt with augments (metal pieces that substitute for missing bone) or bone graft