Surgical Treatment Options

Several different conditions can eventually lead patients to consider surgery.

Hip Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common reason patients undergo hip replacement surgery. As cartilage wears away over time, the joint becomes painful, stiff, and increasingly limited. Many patients reach a point where simple activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or getting in and out of a car become daily challenges.

Avascular Necrosis (AVN)

Avascular necrosis occurs when blood supply to the femoral head becomes disrupted, causing the bone to weaken over time. In some cases, the condition progresses to collapse of the femoral head and subsequent arthritis. Once significant joint damage occurs, surgical treatment is often the most reliable solution.

Post-Traumatic Hip Arthritis

Previous fractures, dislocations, sports injuries, or major trauma can lead to accelerated wear of the hip joint. Many patients develop symptoms years or even decades after the original injury occurred. When pain and functional limitations become significant, surgery may be considered. While the underlying causes differ, the end result is often similar: a painful, damaged hip joint that no longer functions the way it should.

In selected patients, particularly younger individuals with minimal arthritis, procedures designed to preserve the native hip joint may be considered. These procedures are typically performed by surgeons who specialize in hip preservation.

Examples include:

• Hip arthroscopy
• Labral repair
• Labral reconstruction
• Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) correction
• Core decompression for early AVN

The goal of these procedures is to address specific problems within the joint while preserving the patient’s natural hip. For the right patient, these surgeries can be very successful. However, once significant arthritis develops, hip preservation procedures become less predictable. When advanced cartilage loss is present, replacement often provides more reliable results than attempting to save a severely damaged joint.

Total hip replacement is the most common surgical treatment for advanced hip arthritis, avascular necrosis, and post-traumatic arthritis. The procedure involves replacing the damaged ball-and-socket joint with artificial components designed to restore smooth movement and eliminate the painful bone-on-bone contact occurring within the joint. For many patients, hip replacement can feel life-changing. Activities that once seemed impossible often become achievable again.

Patients frequently return to:

• Walking comfortably
• Traveling
• Golfing
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Exercising
• Playing with grandchildren

Many patients comment, “I wish I had done this sooner!”

Hip replacement surgery has changed dramatically over the past several decades.

Today’s procedures are more precise, less invasive, and often allow patients to recover more quickly than many people expect.

Modern advances include:

Improved Implant Technology

Hip implants continue to evolve and are designed to provide excellent durability and long-term performance.

Advanced Surgical Techniques

Refinements in surgical technique have helped improve recovery, function, and patient experience.

Minimally Invasive Approaches

Many surgeons now utilize tissue-sparing approaches designed to minimize disruption of muscles and soft tissues.

Navigation and Technology

Advanced technologies may help improve implant positioning and surgical precision.

While technology is important, Dr. Tauchen believes successful outcomes ultimately come from combining experience, careful planning, and individualized patient care.

Technology is a tool—not a substitute for good judgment.

Not every patient seeking hip surgery is receiving their first hip replacement.

Some patients have previously undergone hip replacement surgery and later develop problems such as:

• Implant loosening
• Wear
• Instability
• Infection
• Periprosthetic fracture

These situations may require revision hip replacement surgery.

Revision procedures are often more complex than primary hip replacement and require careful evaluation to determine the cause of symptoms.

One of the most important principles of revision surgery is identifying the correct diagnosis before discussing treatment.  Understanding why the hip hurts is the key to determining the appropriate solution.

Perhaps the most common question patients ask is:

“How do I know when it’s time?”

There is no perfect answer.  There is no magic age. There is no specific X-ray finding that automatically means surgery is necessary. Instead, the decision usually comes down to quality of life.

If pain is preventing a patient from doing the things they enjoy on a daily basis, despite reasonable non-surgical treatment, it may be time to have a conversation about surgical options.

Some patients reach that point quickly while others manage their symptoms successfully for many years before deciding surgery makes sense.

Dr. Tauchen believes the decision should always be individualized. The goal is not simply to perform surgery. The goal is to help patients move better, hurt less, and return to the activities that matter most to them.

Whether that means preserving the native hip, replacing a damaged joint, or revising a previous hip replacement, every treatment plan should be built around the same question:

“What can we do to help you get your life back?”