Hip Replacement
Total hip arthroplasty replaces the diseased femoral head and acetabulum with metal, ceramic and plastic components to relieve pain and restore hip movement.
Overview
Hospital & stay
Procedure details
How it's performed
Under general or spinal anaesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision over the side or back of the hip, dissects through muscle planes and capsulotomises the joint. The femoral head is dislocated and resected with an oscillating saw. The acetabulum is reamed to receive a press-fit metal shell with a ceramic or polyethylene liner; the femoral canal is broached and a femoral stem is implanted with a matching head. Components are trialled for stability and leg length, the hip is relocated, and the soft tissues are closed in layers.
Preparation
- 1Pre-operative clinic with bloods, ECG, urinalysis, MRSA swab and anaesthetic review.
- 2Address dental infection, skin lesions, and optimise diabetes, anaemia and weight.
- 3Hip-school or pre-habilitation session to learn crutch walking and post-operative precautions.
- 4Stop smoking 6-8 weeks before surgery; review NSAIDs and anticoagulants per surgical team.
- 5Arrange home aids (raised toilet, sock-aid, walking frame) and someone to help for the first 1-2 weeks.
Recovery
- 1Day 0-1: Stand and walk a few steps with physiotherapy supervision.
- 2Days 1-3: Hospital discharge; crutches or a walking frame at home with hip precautions.
- 3Day 10: Stitches or clips removed by community nurse.
- 4Weeks 2-6: Daily exercises; progression from crutches to a single stick.
- 5Weeks 6-12: Follow-up clinic, X-ray check, driving usually permitted at 6-8 weeks.
- 6Months 3-12: Return to low-impact sport; full functional recovery with long-term annual review.
Clinics offering Hip Replacement
Doctors performing Hip Replacement
Related procedures
Related procedures
What the research says about total hip replacement
14 peer-reviewed sourcesTotal hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty) is one of the most extensively studied procedures in orthopaedic surgery, with decades of evidence from national joint registries, randomised trials, and systematic reviews. Pooled registry analyses indicate that a large proportion of modern hip implants remain functional well beyond 15 to 20 years, and patients typically report substantial gains in pain relief, mobility, and quality of life. Comparative reviews continue to examine surgical approaches, bearing surfaces, fixation methods, and prehabilitation to refine outcomes and reduce complications such as dislocation, infection, and revision. As with any major surgery, individual results depend on patient health, implant choice, and surgical expertise. The references below are drawn from peer-reviewed meta-analyses, registry studies, and guideline-level sources to help patients understand the evidence base.
- How long does a hip replacement last? A systematic review and meta-analysis of case series and national registry reports with more than 15 years of follow-up.
- How long do revised and multiply revised hip replacements last? A retrospective observational study of the National Joint Registry.
- Comprehensive outcomes of different prosthetic interfaces in total hip arthroplasty: A network meta-analysis and systematic review based on age and follow-up periods.
- Multidimensional comparison of robot-assisted/manual THA: a systematic review and meta-analysis using REML-HK and multi-model for key outcomes.
- Early clinical efficacy and safety of different surgical approaches in total hip arthroplasty: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Compiled from peer-reviewed medical literature indexed on PubMed. This overview is for general education and is not medical advice. · Last updated 2026-06-15