Total hip replacement
A total hip replacement (THR) is one of the most
frequent surgical procedures in the United States and
throughout the world and is predominantly done for
elderly people (Eingartner 2007, Wilson et al. 2008,
Jimenez-Garcia et al. 2011). THR has had a major
impact on the alleviation of pain and preservation of
physical independence and function in patients suffering
from arthritis and chronic joint symptoms (Parsons
& Sonnabend 2004, Montin et al. 2008). As a consequence
of the expected doubling of the elderly population
across countries in the coming decades, the demand
for joint replacements is expected to rise greatly
(Kurtz et al. 2007).