Hip Replacement
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: “Dual Mobility” hip replacement reduces risk of dislocation and may be a possibility for polio survivors with hip muscle weakness.
Dual Mobility Hip Replacement Does Double Duty: Relieves Pain and Reduces Risk of Dislocation
By by Geoffrey Westrich, MD
“More than 330,000 total hip replacements are performed in the United States each year. Overall, it is a highly successful procedure. However, as with all surgeries, a risk for complications exists.”
“A hip replacement implant is a ball-and-socket mechanism, designed to simulate a human hip joint. Typical components include a stem that inserts into the femur (thigh bone), a ball that replaces the head of the thigh bone, and a shell that lines the hip socket.”
“Dual-mobility hip components provide an additional bearing surface,” Dr. Westrich explains. “A large polyethylene plastic head fits inside a polished metal hip socket component, and an additional smaller metal or ceramic head is SNAP-FIT within the polyethylene head. Dual mobility means that there are two areas of motion, improving the range of movement and reducing the risk of dislocation.”
“Total hip replacement is increasingly being performed in younger patients,” Dr. Westrich said. “The results of our study are encouraging for this active, high demand group of patients and may lessen concerns for dislocation. More research is needed to see how dual mobility implants perform over the long term.”