Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR)

The hip joint is a ball and socket type of joint which is formed between the thigh bone (femoral head) and the hip bone (acetabular socket). It is one of the strongest and firm fitted joints of the human body which could be inflamed or diseased due to certain joint ailments like Arthritis, Bursitis, Tendonitis and Fractures. Arthritis still stands as the prime indication for a hip replacement surgery.

A hip replacement surgery is a major surgical procedure where in a part or the complete hip joint is replaced by an artificial joint. The surgical procedure is performed under the influence of general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia, with or without sedation and requires a dedicated change in lifestyle and rehabilitative exercises to help aid in the artificial joint movement.

There are many different types of designs and materials are currently used in artificial hip joints. All of them consist of two basic components: the ball component (made of highly polished strong metal or ceramic material) and the socket component (a durable cup of plastic, ceramic or metal, which may have an outer metal shell).

The prosthetic components can be press-fit or cemented into place. This decision to only press fit or to cement the components is based on a number of factors, such as the quality and strength of your bone. A combination of a stem which is cemented and a socket which is non-cemented may also be used. The selection of the prosthesis depends on your requirements and your surgeon’s analysis of your condition and overall health.

The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System (or the BHR) is a medical implant that utilizes the hybrid kind of fixation: that is a cemented femoral head (thigh) component with a cementless acetabular (hip bone) component.

This system is basically planned for patients who need primary (first) hip resurfacing arthroplasty due to non-inflammatory arthritis (degenerative joint disease) such as osteoarthritis or traumatic arthritis or inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis).

This system is tailor-made for patients who, either due to their younger ages or increased activity levels may not be suitable candidates for traditional total hip arthroplasty as they might need future hip joint revision.

Hip replacement surgery has been performed since 4-5 decades and has relieved individuals from hip joint pain, restricted mobility, and discomfort.