An alternative to hip replacement: Birmingham hip resurfacing

A total hip replacement often limits a person’s ability to engage in high-impact or intense physical activities. However, an alternative surgical procedure called Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) is far more likely to enable patients to stay active in high-intensity sports, even many years after the surgery.

 

For the study published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, US researchers analysed long-term outcomes for 224 patients, aged 35 to 59, who underwent Birmingham hip resurfacing between 2006 and 2013. As many as 60 per cent of those remained highly active compared to just 20 per cent who had a total hip replacement. The long-term complication rate for the procedure was low and comparable to that of a standard hip replacement. Only 4 per cent of patients required follow-up surgery on the joint for any reason at 15 years or beyond.

 

Hip resurfacing procedure is better suited for middle-aged men than women because the smallest metal-alloy cap that is used in the procedure is slightly under 2 inches in diameter and may be too large to fit the femurs of most female patients.

 

“BHR implant remains an excellent option for the treatment of osteoarthritis in younger male patients,” the study concluded.

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