Hip Resurfacing Surgery: What You Should Know

The most common hip joint disease in working age Thai people is Ischemic hip disease, which is directly related to the amount of alcohol consumed and prolonged use of steroids. Other common hip joint diseases include Osteoarthritis (OA), Avascular Necrosis (AVN), and Developmental Hip Dysplasia (DDH). In addition, women aged 40-65 may experience hip dysplasia due to abnormal hip joint development that occurred during childhood. Symptoms may appear at a premature age.

 

 

 

In order to avoid hip replacement in working age, orthopedic surgeons typically employ a range of past treatments. However, it is estimated that if hip replacement was performed in older adults (over 60-65 years old), the service life could be doubled from 10 to 20 years. Therefore, hip replacement in older adults may be the preferred option when looking to maximize the lifespan of the implant.

 

The short lifespan of artificial hip joints in young people is due to the fact that traditional hip prostheses are composed of metal heads and medical plastic sockets (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene, UHMWPE) joints that offer low friction and durability. However, due to the constant use of the hips, the plastic sockets suffer from wear and tear, leading to debris accumulation which can stimulate the body's immune system to respond, causing side effects such as osteolysis in the tissue and bone surrounding the hip joint.

 

 

 

Conventional hip replacement surgery

 

 

Due to faster dissolution of bone adhesion, implanted hip joints may become loose over time, causing hip pain in working-age patients after 5-10 years of use. To address this, orthopedic surgeons typically recommend Revision Surgery. However, this surgery has a shorter service life than the initial surgery, and the lifespan of the hip joint after the surgery is generally less than 10 years. This is because the original surgery can cause fusion of the bone (osteolysis) and the fibrous tissue around the hip joint.

 

 

New treatment method

 

The metal-on-metal hip joint, developed in Birmingham, England in 1991, has become increasingly popular around the world. It is designed to help young patients return to a normal life, allowing them to participate in sports and exercise without limitation. Rather than metal coming into contact with medical plastic, this new surgery uses metal components to replace a damaged hip joint.

The hip head of the new artificial hip joint is significantly larger than that of the patient's original hip joint, which had a diameter of only 28 millimeters. This larger size makes hip displacement more difficult than in traditional hip joints, as general Thai hip joints typically have a diameter of 40-52 millimeters. Thus, larger buttocks are more difficult to dislocate than smaller ones.

The Birmingham hip joint, which has become increasingly popular over the past decade and has seen impressive treatment results, is a new hip joint treatment that has been used by more than 100,000 people worldwide. A large proportion of these patients are in working age and are of foreign origin.

In Thailand, a new treatment has begun, but it is not yet widespread. The results of the treatment have been satisfactory, and involve a joint planning process between doctor and patient, as once traditional hip replacement surgery has been completed, the patient cannot switch to this new type of hip joint surgery.