Total Hip Replacement Surgery Procedure

The first step in total hip replacement surgery is the seperation of the femur from the hip socket. Once removed, the damaged or disease ball or head is removed. Next, the attention turns to the hip socket itself. Depending on disease or injury, damaged fragments of cartiledge and bone are removed and the socket cleaned out. A metal shell is then placed within the socket and held in place by screws or a type of bone cement, followed by the insertion of a cup liner.

Attention is then turned to the thigh bone, which is hollowed out and prepared for the prosthesis. Depending on the prosthesis the doctor deems appropriate, the implant is placed inside the hollowed out bone and may be held in place with or without cement. The ball is then attatched at the top of the prosthesis and the femur is re-attatched with the hip socket completing the total hip replacement.