Hip Resurfacing: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Hip joint is a synovial joint which is composed of the ball head of the femur or the thighbone and the socket of pelvic acetabulum. The space between the joint of ball and the socket is lined with synovial fluid which provides lubrication and cushion to both the bones and the adjoining cartilage. With growing age and in case of arthritis, the synovial fluid and the synovial lining of the joint start deteriorating. This gradually causes wear and tear of the hip joint. The synovial fluid eventually gets dried up and is not able to provide lubrication to the ball and the socket. Due to this wear and tear, the cartilage particles start accumulating in the socket. The conditions when worsens, it requires surgery of the hip bone. The condition can be treated either by total hip replacement or by hip resurfacing arthroplasty. But hip resurfacing is preferred over total replacement nowadays because of it convenience. A hip resurfacing also reduces the chance of hip dislocation and the procedure also allows less bone removal thereby preserving the present bone structure.

The treatment procedure of hip resurfacing involves trimming of the femoral head and further capping it with a metal covering. The socket or the acetabulum is cleared of worn out cartilage and bones and is replaced with a metal shell in a similar fashion as total hip replacement. Hip resurfacing procedure preferred over the conventional total hip replacement because it aims at bone conservation. This is more sought after by young and active patients. In this procedure, unlike total hip replacement, the femoral head is not cut off. Covering the worn out ball of the thigh bone with a smooth metal cap proves the procedure to be advantageous in the way also that it prevents the chance of post replacement dislocation of the articulating devices. Hip resurfacing or total hip replacement surgery carried out once would require another surgery after several years for replacing the articulating devices. In such a case hip resurfacing proves to be advantageous because in the subsequent operations there is a chance of more bone loss. The cup or metal socket that is placed by removing the worn out socket is of the same size as that of the removed socket. This removes the chance of any dislocation after the surgery.

Patients eligible for hip resurfacing are usually young active people without obesity and is suffering from degenerative joint disease and is clinically qualified to receive a hip replacement. Also, patients who are not allergic to the metal to be used in resurfacing are eligible for the treatment.

People who already have lost lot of femoral head bone, have cysts present in the joint and have severe osteoporosis. The procedure is also not suitable for female patients in their reproductive age.

There are very few side effects of hip resurfacing as opposed to total hip replacement. The disadvantages of hip resurfacing could be aseptic loosening, fractures on the neck of the femoral head and wearing down of the metal covering and the metal socket.

There is not much post procedural care as the patient recovers quite fast after the surgery.

It takes at the most a week to resume regular activities including driving.

the cost of this treatment in India ranges from Rs. 40 lakh to Rs. 50 lakh.

No, a few more replacement of the articulating devices will be required after the first surgery

Alternative to this treatment is total hip replacement