Replacing a worn or arthritic hip joint with an artificial implant to relieve pain, restore movement and get you back to the activities a stiff or painful hip has taken away.
A total hip replacement (hip arthroplasty) removes the damaged ball-and-socket surfaces of the hip, usually worn away by osteoarthritis, though sometimes by rheumatoid arthritis, fracture or previous surgery. These are replaced with a metal, ceramic and polyethylene implant that recreates a smooth, low-friction joint.
Hip replacement is usually considered once hip pain and stiffness are genuinely limiting daily life, affecting walking distance, sleep, and getting in and out of a car or up from a chair, and non-surgical measures such as physiotherapy, activity modification, weight management and pain relief are no longer keeping pace with symptoms. It's a decision made together, based on how much the joint is affecting you rather than an X-ray alone.
Surgery typically takes around an hour to ninety minutes, performed under spinal or general anaesthetic. The worn femoral head and hip socket are removed and replaced with an implant, sized and positioned to match your own anatomy. Mr Chipperfield uses enhanced recovery principles throughout, including nerve blocks and early mobilisation, aimed at getting patients up and walking, often on the same day as surgery.
For patients with a known metal allergy, nickel-free implant options are available and routinely used.
As with any major joint surgery, hip replacement carries risks including infection, blood clots, dislocation, leg length differences and the eventual need for revision surgery as an implant wears over time. These are discussed in detail at consultation, alongside how they apply to your individual health and circumstances.