Red Bank Veterinary Hospital now offers cementless total hip replacement (THR) surgery. THR surgery is commonly performed in people with severe arthritis of the hip joint. In the last two decades THR has also become a standard procedure to eliminate the pain and debilitation of hip arthritis in medium to large breed dogs. The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint in which the head and neck of the femur form the ball that joins with the cup of the pelvis, or socket to provide movement. Arthritis of the hip is very common in dogs. It is often caused by hip dysplasia and will cause progressive lameness and pain. In hip replacement surgery, the arthritic ball and socket are removed and replaced with steel and plastic implants that allow the hip to function without pain. Previously, the standard technique for THR in dogs has secured the hip implants to the bone with cement. While this is very strong initially, with time, the implants can loosen and revision surgery or even implant removal may be required. In addition, the cemented system may, in a small number of cases, contribute to complications such as infection.

The cementless system allows for installation of hip implants in dogs without the use of cement. The implants are precision engineered and require exact preparation of the patient’s bone in order to be installed without the use of cement. The implants are designed with a porous surface that allows the bone to grow into the implant, forming a bond that actually grows stronger in time. In most cases, this biologic fixation will be more secure and long lasting than those using cement, with less chance of loosening or other complications. The cemented hip system continues to be available, however, and may be preferable in some cases. Since the same company, Biomedtrix, manufactures both systems, they are interchangeable and may be used in selected patients as a combination installation (such as a cementless cup and a cemented stem).