Total Hip Replacement

Total Hip Replacement (THR) is a surgical procedure in which the cartilage and part of the bony surfaces of the hip joint are removed and replaced with a prosthesis – an artificial part which replaces or supplements a natural part of the body. Dentures are a common kind of prosthesis.

The diagram below compares a normal hip with one that has been replaced.  They both have two main parts: the ‘ball’ (the head of the femur or thigh bone) and the ‘socket’ (the cup shaped socket in the pelvis). In a hip replacement, the ball is usually made of metal and the socket of plastic, though sometimes this can be made of other materials. These two parts move easily against one another, allowing the new hip to move smoothly and painlessly.