Illnesses & Conditions
Information on diseases and health concerns, including symptoms, treatment options, and prevention.

Hip replacement surgery

Surgery Overview

Total joint replacement involves surgery to replace the ends of both bones in a damaged joint to create new joint surfaces.

Total hip replacement surgery replaces the upper end of the thighbone (femur) with a metal ball and resurfaces the hip socket in the pelvic bone with a metal shell and plastic liner.

Total hip replacement surgery replaces damaged cartilage with new joint material in a step-by-step process.

View a slideshow on hip replacement to see what happens during this surgery.

Doctors may attach replacement joints to the bones with or without cement.

• Cemented joints are attached to the existing bone with cement, which acts as a glue and attaches the artificial joint to the bone.
• Uncemented joints are attached using a porous coating that is designed to allow the bone to adhere to the artificial joint. Over time, new bone grows and fills up the openings in the porous coating, attaching the joint to the bone.

Doctors most often use general anesthesia for joint replacement surgeries, which means you'll be unconscious during surgery. But sometimes they use regional anesthesia, which means you can't feel the area of the surgery and you are sleepy, but you are awake. The choice depends on your doctor, on your overall health, and, to some degree, on what you prefer.

Your doctor may recommend that you take antibiotics before and after the surgery to reduce the risk of infection. If you need any major dental work, your doctor may recommend that you have it done before the surgery. Infections can spread from other parts of the body, such as the mouth, to the artificial joint and cause a serious problem.

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