Hip

Conditions

Normal Anatomy of the Hip joint

The thigh bone, femur, and the pelvis, acetabulum, join to form the hip joint. The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint. The “ball” is the head of the femur, or thigh bone, and the “socket” is the cup shaped acetabulum.

Femoro Acetabular Impingement (FAI)

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition where there is too much friction in the hip joint from bony irregularities causing pain and decreased range of hip motion. The femoral head and acetabulum rub against each other creating damage and pain to the hip joint. The damage can occur to the articular cartilage (the smooth white surface of the ball or socket) or the labral tissue (the lining of the edge of the socket) during normal movement of the hip. The articular cartilage or labral tissue can fray or tear after repeated friction. Over time, more cartilage and labrum is lost until eventually the femur bone and acetabulum bone impact on one other. Bone on bone friction is commonly referred to as Osteoarthritis.

Inflammatory Arthritis of the Hip

Inflammation of the joints is referred to as arthritis. The inflammation arises when the smooth covering (cartilage) at the end surfaces of the bones wears away. In some cases, the inflammation is caused when the lining of the joint becomes inflamed as part of an underlying systemic disease. These conditions are referred to as inflammatory arthritis.

Hip Fracture

The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint. The “ball” is the head of the femur, or thigh bone, and the “socket” is the cup shaped acetabulum. The joint surface is covered by a smooth articular surface that allows pain free movement in the joint.

Treatments

Non-Surgical Hip Treatments

If your condition is mild, Mr. McKenna may opt for nonsurgical options to provide relief from hip pain. Each option below is much more conservative than a total hip replacement , and each one is non-invasive. Mr. McKenna will discuss these options with you and compare them against a hip replacement.

Total Hip Replacement (THR)

As a procedure that is performed over 300,000 times annually in the USA, and 7000 times in Ireland, total hip replacement is considered one of the most successful and cost-effective medical procedures available. It offers almost total relief to patients suffering from a number of orthopaedic conditions, including osteoarthritis, which is one of the most debilitating diseases in existence.

Revision Hip Replacement

Revision hip replacement surgery is performed under general anaesthesia. During the procedure, your surgeon will make an incision over the hip to expose the hip joint. Then the femur is dislocated from the acetabulum so that the old plastic liner and the metal socket can be removed from the acetabulum.

Direct Anterior Hip Replacement

Coming soon