As with a total hip replacement, this procedure is sought after by patients who have been experiencing chronic hip pain due to a variety of factors.  For example:

The main difference with this procedure and a total hip replacement is that in a hip resurfacing procedure, we do not replace the femoral head of the patient.  We do place a medal insert in the acetabulum, just as in a total hip replacement.  The femoral head is ‘resurfaced’ and trimmed so that a metal ‘cap’ is fitted over the damaged bone.