Modern hip resurfacing surgery, a new advancement, is to benefit arthritis patients, especially the young. The conventional total hip replacement methodology is considered suitable for older patients, which also takes a longer time to recover.

Dr Udai Prakash, orthopaedic surgeon, Udai Clinic said that the reports of resurfacing surgery were encouraging and had a success rate of 98.6 per cent. Within a period of three months after surgery, the patients can resume normal life. Diagnosis, age and activity of an individual usually determine the need or decision to perform the hip resurfacing surgery.

Dr Prakash said that this surgery attempts to reduce the incision or surgical cut, ensuring lesser damage of muscle and soft tissue. Thus, the patient recovers earlier than after conventional surgery. This modern procedure can be handled with an incision of about four inches, whereas the conventional surgery needs around 10 inches of incision.

The modern method involves resurfacing or capping the ball of the hip joint and lining the damaged socket with a metal cap. Patients below 55 years can make use of this mode of surgery. The key advantages of this surgery are that it is bone conserving and is more stable than the traditional hip replacement, offering a long-term solution.

Research has been carried out in England in the last two decades on this modern surgery, and it has been found to be suitable for the young patients.