Hip arthroscopy is a procedure where a small camera (arthroscope) is placed into the hip joint. Hip arthroscopy is more involved and may be more difficult to perform than knee arthroscopy. It can be done to treat labral tears, loose bodies, or small defects in the cartilage.

Hip resurfacing is a procedure done for severe arthritis of the hip. The femoral neck and a portion of the femoral head are left intact and the resurfacing femoral component is placed over the femoral head remnant. The idea was to leave as much of the patient’s own bone as possible. In practice, though, resurfacing procedures have had a high complication and failure rate. A small number of surgeons still perform resurfacing procedures; however, the majority of surgeons have stopped doing hip resurfacings.

A total hip replacement is a procedure done for severe arthritis of the hip. It involves removing the femoral head and replacing the head with a metallic device and inserting a socket or acetabular component into the patient. Studies show a 95% satisfaction rate with hip replacements. Approximately 90% of hips are still functioning well at 20-year follow-up.

The Achilles tendon is the very large rope-like structure attaching the calf muscle to the heel bone. Ruptures often require surgical repair. These large tendons can take a long time to heal. They require initial immobilization in a cast and usually involve a prolonged physical therapy program to regain strength and mobility. Studies show that Achilles tendons repaired surgically have less of a risk of repeat rupture than those treated non-operatively.

Most simple ankle fractures can be treated with a splint or cast. These fractures usually heal in approximately 6-8 weeks but need to be followed regularly by an orthopedic surgeon. Complex ankle fractures are usually treated surgically with plates, screws, wires or pins. These fractures also require close follow-up with x-rays to evaluate fracture healing. Complex ankle fractures may lead to the development of ankle arthritis.