Hip resurfacing best for younger men

CHICAGO, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Hip resurfacing -- a new alternative to hip replacement -- may not be a good choice for women and those age 55 or older, a U.S. doctor said.

After a review of over 500 surgeries, Dr. Craig Della Valle and colleagues at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found the majority of serious complications for hip resurfacing occurred in women of all ages and in men age 55 or older.

"The ideal patients for hip resurfacing are males under the age of 55. They have the fewest, and the least serious, complications," lead author Della Valle says in a statement. "Patients may be eager to take advantage of technological innovations, but for older individuals, a conventional hip replacement is generally more appropriate."

Serious complications occurred in 32 of the 537 cases, including 10 cases in which the femoral neck fractured after surgery -- a problem not seen with conventional hip replacements, Della Valle says.

"Patients who are older or who are female tend to have softer bone," Della Valle said. "Also, men on average have larger bone structures, with a greater surface area for securing the implant."

The study is scheduled to be published in the January issue of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.