Hip replacement is a
surgical procedure in which the
hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic
implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi (half) replacement. Such
joint replacement orthopaedic surgery is generally conducted to relieve
arthritis pain or in some
hip fractures. A total hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty) consists of replacing both the
acetabulum and the femoral head while
hemiarthroplasty generally only replaces the femoral head. Hip replacement is currently the most common orthopaedic operation, though patient satisfaction short- and long-term varies widely. The average cost of a total hip replacement in 2012 was $40,364 in the United States, and about $7,700 to $12,000 in most European countries.