Last updated: 11/24/2009

Hip revision surgery has three major purposes: relieving pain in the affected hip; restoring the patient's mobility; and removing a loose or damaged prosthesis before irreversible harm is done to the joint. Hip prostheses that contain parts made of...

polyethylene typically become loose because wear and tear on the prosthesis gradually produces tiny particles from the plastic that irritate the soft tissue around the prosthesis. The inflamed tissue begins to dissolve the underlying bone in a process known as osteolysis. Eventually, the soft tissue expands around the prosthesis to the point at which the prosthesis loses contact with the bone.

In general, a surgeon will consider revision surgery for pain relief only when more conservative measures, such as medication and changes in the patient's lifestyle, have not helped. In some cases, revision surgery is performed when x-ray studies show loosening of the prosthesis, wearing of the surfaces of the hip joint, or loss of bone tissue even though the patient may not have experienced any discomfort. In most cases, however, increasing pain in the affected hip is one of the first indications that revision surgery is necessary.

Other less common reasons for hip revision surgery include fracture of the hip, the presence of infection, or dislocation of the prosthesis. In these cases the prosthesis must be removed in order to prevent long-term damage to the hip itself.