What is Partial Hip Replacement

Partial Hip Replacement is a surgical procedure used to replace half of the hip joint. The operation involves replacing the ball of the femur that has worn from arthritis, degeneration, or a serious fracture involving the ball of the hip joint. Normal motion becomes restricted and painful with advanced wear of the hip joint.[1]

Indication
A fractured neck femur, where the fracture occurs just below the ball-and-socket hip joint causing the ball to get disconnected from the rest of the thigh bone or femur. Blood supply to the fractured portion of bone is often disrupted at the time of injury and is at high risk of not healing when the fracture is badly displaced.

Osteoarthritis: the degeneration of cartilages located at the end of the hip bones.

Rheumatoid arthritis: the inflammation of the synovial membrane in the hip joints causing abnormal production of synovial fluid.

Traumatic arthritis, from hip fracture or severe hip injury.

Avascular necrosis where the head of the femoral bone dies due to lack of blood supply, and many other degenerative diseases are also factors that lead to broken the head of femur.[2]

Note:
Partial hip replacement is only recommended on occasion and generally when the patient is elderly and in poor health, because metal prosthesis bearing against bone is not the optimal solution. It can result in wear on the bone and possibly even to the point of wearing away the base of the socket. For this reason, certain patients (young and very able and active older patients) may have a total hip replacement.