11/05/2023
What is a hip replacement?
A hip replacement is a type of surgery to replace damaged parts of the hip with man-made parts. The operation can relieve hip pain and improve movement. It is commonly recommended if you have severe hip damage that interferes with your life, when other treatments have not helped.
During hip replacement surgery, damaged bone and cartilage (tissue at the end of the bone that cushions the joint) are removed from the hip joint. These are replaced with metal or plastic parts.
Hip replacement surgery usually takes 1 to 2 hours. You will be given a general anaesthetic, which makes you fully unconscious, or a spinal anaesthetic, which numbs the lower half of your body.
A hip replacement is also known as hip arthroplasty or a total hip replacement.
