Failing Hip Implants for Women

Surgeons have warned that women should no longer be offered hip resurfacing because failure rates are unacceptably high.

Women who have had hip resurfacing are up to five times more likely to need a second operation and one in ten suffer further problems including pain and infection.

Resurfacing is offered as an alternative to hip replacement for younger people and involves placing metal caps into the hip socket whereas hip replacement involves fitting a new joint made from either ceramic, metal, or plastic.

Research published in the Lancet medical journal found that the smaller head sizes used for women were linked to higher failure rates.