Hip Replacement

A hip replacement is a surgical procedure. An orthopedic surgeon will replace your hip (or parts of it) with a human-made implant (a prosthesis). Your surgeon might refer to a hip replacement as a hip arthroplasty (a joint replacement surgery).

Surgeons perform more than 90% of hip replacements on adults older than 50. Your provider might recommend a hip replacement if pain and other symptoms in your hip affect your ability to stand, walk and move.

Your surgeon will perform either a total hip replacement or a partial hip replacement:

• Total hip replacement: A surgeon will replace your whole hip with a prosthetic joint.
• Partial hip replacement: Partial hip replacements are very rare. Your surgeon will replace only part of your hip.

You might be a good candidate for a hip replacement if symptoms in your hip are making it hard (or impossible) to participate in your daily routine. Most people who get a hip replacement try other, more conservative treatments like medication, physical therapy or using a cane or walker before needing surgery. Your provider will probably suggest these kinds of treatments before recommending a hip replacement.

Arthritis is the most common cause of hip pain and other symptoms that lead to people needing a hip replacement. Some of the most common types of arthritis can affect your hip, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis

Other health conditions and issues that can damage your hip joint enough to require a hip replacement include:

• Osteonecrosis
• Traumas like car accidents or falls
• Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI or hip impingement)
• Hip dysplasia
• Benign tumors (neoplasms)
• Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAI or hip impingement)
• Cancer
• Perthes disease

How common are hip replacements?

Surgeons perform more than 350,000 hip replacements in the India each year.