WebMD Health News Keith Barnard, MD Oct. 4, 2012 – An operation
known as hip resurfacing -- an alternative to hip replacement
often recommended for younger patients - is prone to frequent
failure and should not be used in women, a new study shows.
Researchers looked at data from 434,650 operations carried out
in England and Wales between 2003 and 2011, of which 31,932
(7.4%) were resurfacings. Hip resurfacing is similar to hip
replacement. In a replacement operation, though, the rounded top
section of the thigh bone, known as the femoral head, is
completely removed and replaced. During resurfacing surgery, the
femoral head is ground down to an even surface and given a metal
cap. Hip resurfacings always have metal-on-metal bearings, while
total hip replacements can have a variety of bearing options,
such as ceramic, metal, or plastic. Researchers from the
University of Bristol looked at the failure rate of resurfacing
implants since the United Kingdom's National Joint Registry was
set up in 2003. They used dat