Hips for You Guide to Total Hip Replacement and Hip Treatments

The Hips For You Total Hip Replacement (THR) Guide  was conceived and designed by Patricia Walter. The Hips For You Total Hip Replacement Guide is not controlled by any medical companies, doctors or hospitals. It features a collection of articles, doctor information, medical studies, surgical approach articles and personal total hip replacement stories.

The Anterior Approach to total hip replacement surgery is becoming more popular since "the technique is the least invasive way to perform total hip replacement in that the muscles are spread rather than split. Patients have less pain and less post-operative precautions."  Articles about the Anterior Approach are featured and many surgeons using the approach are listed on the total hip replacement Doctor's List.

If you are a first time visitor to Hips For You Guide to Total Hip Replacement, you might wonder where to start to learn about total hip replacement. The THR Article Page is a good place to start learning.

If you would like to talk about total hip replacement with other THR patients, visit the Total Hip Talk discussion group. Ask questions - get answers. Find support from other people that have had or will have a total hip replacement.

Are you interested in personal stories about people's experience with total hip replacement THR surgery? Visit the Total Hip Stories section to read personal stories about total hip replacement. Do you have a story you would like to share? Email your story to Patricia Walter

Many times the information you receive from doctors or medical companies is biased. I have no reason to suggest any one THR total hip replacement device, manufacture or doctor over another.  There are, however, newer THR hip devices available and you want to make sure your doctor is offering you the best solution for your age and activity level. The new Metal on Metal total hip replacement devices, or MOM THR,  and Ceramic on Ceramic total hip replacement devices are options that allow a person to remain very active and have a very small possibility of a dislocation. There are also a number of new short stem total hip replacement devices.

The Total Hip Replacement Page describes the Total Hip Replacement Devices in much more detail. The Surgical Approach Page describes the different approaches to surgery including posterior, anterior and minimally invasive.

There are two basic options available for hip replacements - Total Hip Replacement THR and Hip Resurfacing. Total Hip Replacement or THR has been the gold standard in the United States for years, but there is another option for younger, more active patients called Hip Resurfacing. Doctors in Europe, Canada, Australia and India have been performing Hip Resurfacing with the current modern devices since 1997. Hip Resurfacing was FDA Approved in 2006 for the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing Device (BHR) and then the Cormet Hip Resurfacing Device (CHR) and the Wright Medical Conserve Plus Device.  Surface Hippy is a complete website devoted to Hip Resurfacing. Hip Resurfacing is bone conserving because it does not require the head of the femur bone to be cut off. A cap is fitted over the reshaped head of the femur bone. A cup is then placed in the acetabulum of the hip to provide a bearing surface for the hip cap. The acetabular cup for hip resurfacing devices is the same as used in the  metal on metal MOM THR hip prothesthesis acetabular cup.