Orthopeadic Surgery

Hip Replacement

A hip replacement replaces a hip joint that has been damaged or worn away, usually by arthritis or injury. The joint is replaced with a prosthetic joint (artificial joint).

A hip replacement is a commonly performed operation that can improve your quality of life.

Diagram Hip Replacement

X-Ray Hip Replacement

Why have a hip replacement?

The hip is a ball and socket joint. The "ball" is formed by the top of the thighbone (femur). This fits into a "socket" (acetabulum), which is part of the pelvis.

Normally, the ball moves smoothly in its socket on a lining of shock-absorbing articular cartilage. If the cartilage is worn away, by arthritis for example, it can make the joint painful and stiff. A hip replacement can replace the worn parts of the hip to reduce pain and increase mobility.

Other surgical options:

There are also alternative operations to a total hip replacement available to you - A hip resurfacing operation, for example, retains more of the original bone. Instead of removing the head of the thigh bone and replacing it with an artificial ball, the diseased or damaged surfaces of the hip joint are replaced with metal surfaces. This operation generally has a quicker recovery time but it is not suitable for everyone.

Knee Replacement

A knee replacement replaces damaged or worn parts of the knee joint with a prosthesis made up of metal and plastic parts.

Depending on the condition of your knee, a "total" or a "half" knee replacement may be done. In a half knee operation, only the inner or outer half of your knee is replaced. A total knee replacement is more commonly done.

Diagram Knee Replacement

X-Ray Knee Replacement

Why have a knee replacement?

Your knee joint is made up of the ends of the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia), which normally glide over each other smoothly because they are covered by smooth articular cartilage. The joint is held in place by ligaments and covered at the front by the patella (kneecap).

If the cartilage is damaged by injury or worn away by arthritis for example, the ends of the bones can rub together, causing pain and restricting movement. If this happens, your knee joint can be replaced with a prosthetic one.

Types of knee replacement

There are several different types of knee replacement. Some need special bone cement to keep them in place. Other types of artificial knee parts are coated with a chemical which encourages bone to grow into it to hold the components in place.