Hip resurfacing is a type of hip surgery that is designed to remove less of the patient’s bone than traditional hip replacement surgery.

This procedure preserves more of the patient’s bone because only the surface of the joint’s ball is removed to implant a new metal surface or cap. The other part of the hip resurfacing system is a shallow metal cup that replaces the damaged surface of the hip socket. The cap moves within the cup – just like the hip’s ball and socket joint.

The goal of hip resurfacing is to reduce hip pain and stiffness in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or injuries that cause the joint to become rough and worn, resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness when the bones rub together.

Benefits of Hip Resurfacing

The metal-on-metal system used in hip resurfacing offers patients many advantages, including:

  • Preserves bone
  • Enables young, active patients to resume sports activities
  • Eliminates hip dislocation
  • Significantly reduces the problem of leg lengthening
  • Eliminates the problems of proximal femoral stress shielding and osteolysis caused by the plastic wear debris associated with traditional hip replacement

Wake Forest Baptist was the first hospital in the Triad to offer hip resurfacing as a treatment option.

Joint Replacement Program

We offer one of the most comprehensive joint replacement programs in the Winston-Salem area. From minimally invasive to bone-sparing procedures, our full menu of surgical options fits patients of all ages and activity levels.

Our orthopaedic teams include surgeons who are highly trained specialists in their fields. That means they focus on diagnosing and treating problems in only one region of the body, such as the knees, hips or shoulders.