Birmingham Hip Resurfacing aimed at younger, more active patients

For younger, more active patients, Birmingham Hip Resurfacing is offering the potential to return to sports activities without restrictions.

The procedure involves smoothing damaged parts of the femur and using an all-metal implant to cover the end of the resurfaced bone. The procedure has been performed successfully in England for a decade.

Rather than replacing the entire hip joint, as in total hip replacement, hip resurfacing shaves only the arthritic surface of the bone and caps it, putting a new surface on the bone.

In contrast, hip replacement, targeted for ages 70 and older, involves removing the entire ball and neck of the femur, replacing them with a ceramic or metal implant.

Aging baby boomers are the fastest growing segment of orthopedic patients, and at 45 to 55 years old, don't want to wait around until they're ready for total hip replacement. They want to return to their normal, active lifestyles.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing fits that bill nicely. Because the procedure is less traumatic (preserving bone and the surrounding soft tissues), patients bounce back quickly. Most use crutches at first, discarding them in a month to six weeks, then progress to a cane, which is usually discarded at four to six weeks. The average hospital stay is two days.

Impact sports are not allowed for the first year after the procedure, but after that, patients can return to any activities they enjoyed before surgery. In one recent study of 500 hip resurfacing patients, 92 percent of these patients returned to some sports activity. Despite this increase in activity, the failure rate is less than 1 percent.

Because the femur bone is preserved, patients have the option of having a total hip replacement later.

Tour de France winner Floyd Landis had Birmingham Hip Resurfacing in fall 2006 to cover a decaying femur fractured in a 2003 training ride. Within five days after the surgery, he was riding a stationary bike.

The procedure is not for everyone. Ineligible are patients with poor bone stock, older persons with low bone density and those with multiple medical problems, such as kidney or heart disease.

For more information or a physician referral, call (502) 897-8131. Additional information is available at www.birminghamhipresurfacing.com.