Common types of hip replacement

Not all hip replacement surgeries are the same. Depending on your pain and injury our doctor may take a different approach to finding the best surgical solution for your hip replacement. Below is a list of the different approaches that may be taken at Han Orthopaedics:

Photo by NEJM Resident 360

Photo by NEJM Resident 360

  • Hip Hemiarthroplasty: This involves replacing just the stem and ball while leaving the socket/cup intact. This procedure is generally used to treat certain types of hip fractures in older and less active patients without significant arthritis. 

  • Total Hip Arthroplasty: The entire hip joint is replaced with prosthetic implants (cup, ball, and stem). This is the gold standard to treat severe arthritis and certain type of hip fractures in younger and more active patients.

    • Posterior approach 

      • The posterior approach allows the surgeon to access the hip joint through the back of the body. This is the traditional and most commonly used approach. 

    • Direct anterior approach 

      • The anterior approach allows the surgeon to access the hip joint through the front of the body. The surgeon accesses the joint by making a small incision in front of the hip. The muscles are then retracted, and not cut, to enter the hip joint. This allows for less pain, faster recovery, and less risk for dislocation.