Metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and surgical techniques in active patients with severe hip deformity

Hip resurfacing is now becoming an established alternative to total hip replacement in the young, high-demand patient with end-stage hip arthritis. Many of the complications and early failures of the previous generations of hip resurfacing appear to have been eliminated with the most recent hip resurfacing systems. The literature now contains excellent short- and medium-term results of the new generation of hip resurfacing (Amstutz et al. 2004a, b; Amstutz and Le Duff 2008; Daniel et al. 2004; McMinn and Daniel 2006; Treacy 2006). The advantages of preservation of proximal bone stock, low dislocation risk and excellent bearing wear characteristics make hip resurfacing an attractive alternative to total hip replacement. However, concerns over the risk of implant failure persist.