Pre-Surgery
Many people manage their discomfort with non-surgical treatments including proper medication, physical therapy, exercise, rest, and joint protection. If these conservative care methods do not seem to go far enough, surgery is the next option.

The surgery is generally used as an alternative to total hip replacement and is often suggested for active patients under the age of 55. Sometimes a patient will need to have a total hip replacement at a later date. Hip resurfacing may give the patient time for new technological improvements to emerge in the field of total hip replacement surgeries.

Prior to surgery, there are a number of questions a patient should feel free to ask the doctor, such as:

1) How long is my implant expected to last?
2) What are the pros and cons of this surgery versus an alternative surgery?
3) What is the success rate?
4) What is the expected recovery time?
5) How soon can I resume my normal activities?
6) Will I need additional surgeries? 

Surgery is performed by means of open incision. A typical operation may take one to several hours. After the hip is dislocated, the hip socket is exposed and measured so that the prosthesis can be properly sized. The surgeon uses special tools to ream the femur and then resizes the femoral head, removing the diseased portion of bone. Finally, the prosthesis is aligned in the femoral head, cemented into place, and repositioned into the hip socket.