The practical limitations of resurfacing hip arthroplasty

Resurfacing hip arthroplasty has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity, associated with an unprecedented amount of coverage in the media. This article assesses what proportion of a consecutive series of young adults presenting for total hip arthroplasty would have been suitable for resurfacing arthroplasty. Retrospective review of the preoperative radiographs was performed, with templating for the resurfacing prostheses. The hips were divided into those appropriate and those inappropriate for the procedure, and those in whom the procedure would be technically challenging. Sixty-one hips in 57 patients were reviewed, with ages ranging from 17 to 49 years. Twenty-eight hips were assessed as suitable, 26 as unsuitable, and 7 as technically challenging. Reasons for unsuitability included collapse and/or cystic degeneration of the femoral head.